CEN20LA186

The non-instrument rated pilot and passenger were returning to their home airport. Due to localized weather, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed over and in the vicinity of the airport. Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) data recorded the airplane maneuver around the airport multiple times including one approach to the runway. During the airplane’s last approach toward the runway, the airplane made a 180° right turn about 1/4 mile southeast of the runway and then descend. The last ADS-B point recorded the airplane in a right descending turn, about 1,000 ft agl. Witnesses on the ground saw the airplane in a vertical nose-low attitude with a loud engine noise, as the airplane descended and impacted the ground. A review of weather information found an overcast ceiling about 1,500 ft agl with cloud tops near 3,500 ft mean sea level (msl) and the potential for moderate turbulence below 3,000 ft msl. There was no evidence that the pilot received a weather briefing before the flight. The airport was closed 44 days before the accident and a Notice to Airman was published and available. In addition, the automated weather reporting facility was turned off and not broadcasting weather information. Investigators did not determine if the pilot was aware that the airport was closed. The airplane’s impact drove the airplane deep into the ground. Due to impact damage and distortion, a detailed examination of the wreckage could not be accomplished. Of the portions examined, no anomalies were detected with the airframe and engine which would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Toxicology detected the diphenhydramine, ethanol, and n-propanol in putrefied samples. The diphenhydramine level was below the therapeutic range and likely did not contribute to the accident. Ethanol and n-propanol were likely produced postmortem. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the non-instrument rated pilot’s intentional flight into instrument meteorological conditions (clouds) which resulted in spatial disorientation and an inflight loss of control.

The airplane was modified with an Aspen EFD1000 on May 18, 2018. According to logbook entries, the pilot flew with the new flight display for at least 125 hours. It is unknown what instruction he received in its use or how often he utilized the advanced functions of the display. In addition, the airplane was equipped with a KAP 140 autopilot and GDL69 XM Weather receiver. Use of these systems could not be determined. With an estimate of 25 gallons burned the first hour and 20 gallons each additional hour, investigators estimated that the airplane had at least 1 hour of fuel left onboard at the time of the accident. Center Municipal Airport (F17) is a public-use airport serviced by one runway, 17/35, which is a 5,501 ft long, 75 ft wide, runway. The airport has available RNAV (GPS) and NDB instrument approaches. At the time of the accident, there was a Notice to Airman (NOTAM) that the airfield was closed due to construction from April 6 through June 30, 2020 (44 days before the accident). It is unknown if the construction impacted the pilot’s ability to land at the airfield. On May 20, 2020, about 1640 central daylight time (CDT), a Cessna T206H airplane, N51610, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Center, Texas. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Astronaut Kent Rominger Airport (RCV), Del Norte, Colorado, about 0920 mountain daylight time. The pilot stopped at Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE), Gainesville, Texas, and purchased 65 gallons of fuel. The flight departed GLE about 1440 CDT and was enroute to the home airport, Center Municipal Airport (F17), Center, Texas. Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) data recorded the airplane’s flight path as it departed GLE and flew towards F17. After it passed Tyler, Texas, the flight deviated south and approached Center, Texas, from the west. About 8.6 miles west-northwest of the airport, the airplane made a large figure-8 style track, maneuvered to the south of the airport, turned north, and was offset to the east of the runway almost 1 mile. North of the airport, the airplane made a left 360° turn and then proceeded west bound. The flight performed another large figure-8 style track, flew back towards the airport, and crossed the runway at midpoint about 900-1,000 ft above ground level (agl). The flight made 4 consecutive 360° turns above the runway before it proceeded to a left base turn to the runway. It is unknown if the airplane touched down on the runway, but ADS-B showed that the airplane climbed near the departure end of runway 35. The flight then made a tight 360° turn over the runway around 1,000 ft agl and then flew to the southeast of the airport. The airplane maneuvered to the southeast of the airport, climbed to about 3,500 ft agl, and then turned towards the runway. About 1/4 mile south of the runway, the airplanemade a 180° right turn, then descended. The last ADS-B point was recorded at 1640:13, with the airplane in a right descending turn, about 1,000 ft agl. Witnesses saw the airplane make an approach to runway 35 and heard the engine as the airplane completed a go-around. The next time the witnesses saw the airplane it was in a vertical nose-low attitude with a loud engine noise as the airplane impacted the ground. Toxicology testing was conducting on samples from the pilot by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory. Samples were marked putrefied. Testing was positive for ethanol, n-propanol, and diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine is a non-prescription antihistamine for treating seasonal allergies and can cause sedation. It is acceptable for pilots but should not be used within 60 hours of flying and regular use is unacceptable. Ethanol and n-propanol were also detected. The samples were noted to be putrefied. A review of official weather briefing facilities did not find any request by the pilot for a weather briefing. It is unknown what weather products the pilot accessed before the accident flight. The Center Municipal Airport (F17), Center, Texas, had an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) which normally broadcasts conditions locally every 20-minutes. However, according to the Airport Manager the airport was closed for construction and a lightning strike damaged a circuit board in the AWOS, so the system was turned off on April 7, 2020. No observations were issued from the airport surrounding the period. A detailed review of the weather was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is included in the docket of this report. The accident site was located north of a low-pressure system with a stationary front. A radar mosaic depicted several well defined intense to extreme intensity echoes associated with thunderstorms east of the accident site over Louisiana. The closest echo was more than 20 miles east-southeast of the accident site. Satellite imagery data was obtained for the time of the accident which revealed that an overcast layer was over the accident site and airport. The cloud tops over the accident site were estimated about 3,500 ft mean sea level (msl). NWS Weather Surveillance Radar 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) information was reviewed which indicated a small area of echoes developed upstream of the airport with extreme intensity reflectivity. These echoes moved over and east of the airport between 1517-1524 CDT. At the time of the accident, the echoes had moved about 20 miles east-southeast with only very light intensity echoes along the accident flight path. In addition, modelling indicated the potential for a broken layer of clouds at 1,500 ft above ground level (about 1,800 ft msl) with tops near 3,000 ft msl. Moderate turbulence was likely between 1,600 to 3,000 ft msl. The pilot’s flight logbooks were not available for the investigation. The most recent information concerning the pilot’s flight experience was listedon his application for a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate, dated July 26, 2018. The pilot was not instrument rated and his actual and simulated instrument flight times are unknown. The wreckage was in a wooded area south of the approach end of runway 35. The airplane impact angle with the ground was near vertical. There was no postimpact fire. All major flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site. Impact velocity resulted in the engine being found about 5 ft deep in the ground. The wreckage was moved to a secure facility for examination. Due to impact damage and distortion, a detailed examination of the wreckage could not be accomplished. Of the portions examined, no anomalies were detected with the airframe and engine which would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.