CHI04FA071

The cross country flight departed without a flight plan, and the airplane was found destroyed in an agricultural field located in a sparely populated area. Night visual and instrument meteorological conditions were reported between the flight's departure and destination airports. A weather briefing was given to a caller representing the accident airplane in which the caller did not specifically request and was not provided with a standard weather briefing for the flight. Weather briefing information provided by the flight service station briefer indicated visual flight rule conditions. The briefer did not provide available weather forecast and present weather information that would have depicted instrument meteorological conditions in southwestern Kansas. Witnesses in the area reported observing instrument meteorological conditions in the accident site vicinity. According to the operator of the accident airplane, the pilot had not flown instruments for about three years and did not have more than 20 hours of actual instrument flight time. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

History of flight

On February 16, 2004, at 1714 central standard time, a Cessna 182Q, N735RD, operated as a rental airplane by Pratt Air Inc., was found destroyed in an agricultural field near Rozel, Kansas, after being reported overdue. Night visual and instrument meteorological conditions were reported between the flight's departure and destination airports. The 14 CFR Part 91 aerial observation positioning flight was not operating on a flight plan. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Pratt Industrial Airport (PTT), Pratt, Kansas, at an unknown time and was planned to arrive at Shaltz Field Airport, Colby, Kansas, about 0715.

The purpose of the flight was to reposition the accident airplane to conduct an aerial survey for Kansas State Fish and Wildlife.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board Meteorological (NTSB) Factual Report, which is included in its entirety within the docket of this report, a person representing N735RD called the Wichita Automated Flight Service Station 0535:40 and requested the weather at Colby, Kansas, in about 30 minutes. The caller did not specifically request an abbreviated or standard weather briefing. The AFSS specialist provided the following:

- Low pressure dominating the route bringing southerly winds

- No frontal systems

- No hazardous weather advisories

- "Looking at all VFR [visual flight rules]"

- Colby current weather: Goodland weather: ceiling 11,000 feet above ground level (AGL) overcast, visibility 8 statute miles (SM), wind 260 degrees at 9 knots

- Colby forecast: Goodland Terminal Area Forecast (TAF): 12,000 feet AGL scattered, 15,000 feet AGL broken, wind 270 degrees at 10 knots, after 0800 winds 340 degrees at 15 knots gusting 25 knots

The briefing was terminated about 0536:40.

The president of Pratt Air Inc., stated the pilot would not fly very high. He said that depending on the airplane, the pilot would usually fly about 1,000 feet AGL. He saw the pilot receive a weather briefing about 0530, but wasn't sure when he departed. When the pilot didn't arrive at 0730, the "people" called the pilot’s wife. She called the president who in turn called the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to report the airplane was overdue. He said a search airplane departed around 0840 but had to turn back about 31 NM northwest from PTT due to weather. The pilots who searched for the airplane, flew a GPS direct route from PTT.

No reports of the flight's departure time were received.

Personal information

The pilot, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He also held an experimental aircraft repairman certificate.

The pilot last received a second class airman medical certificate issued on December 17, 2003, with the following limitations, "Holder shall possess corrective glasses for near vision." The pilot reported a total flight time of 8,800 hours and 150 hours in the past six months at the issuance of his airman medical certificate.

According to the president of Pratt Air Inc., who was also a friend of the accident pilot, the accident pilot had not flown instruments for about 3 years and didn't have more than 20 hours of actual instrument flight time. He arrived at these estimates because the pilot was the only one who he rented the airplane to. He said about 90 percent of the accident pilot's flight time was agricultural flying.

No pilot logbooks were found at the accident site. The pilot's estate reported the pilot's logbooks could not be found.

Aircraft information

The 1977 Cessna 182Q, serial number 18265617, was registered to and operated as a rental airplane by Pratt Air Inc., Pratt, Kansas. The airplane was powered by a Continental O-470-U, engine, serial number 820115-R, and a McCauley two-bladed controllable pitch propeller. The airplane was equipped with an Aero Safe Corporation auxiliary instrument air system installed under supplemental type certificate SA4844SW and a KLN89B Global Positioning System receiver. The KLN89B data card listed a North American database with an expiration date of February 19, 2003.

Logbook entries indicate that the airplane received an annual inspection dated January 18, 2004, at a tachometer time of 2,650 hours and a total time of 6,096 hours. The engine received an annual inspection dated January 18, 2004, at a tachometer time of 2,650 hours and a total time of 708 hours since installation. The last 14 CFR Part 91.411 altimeter and altitude reporting equipment test and inspection was dated March 28, 2001.

Part 91.411(a) states, "No person may operate an airplane, or helicopter, in controlled airspace under IFR unless: (1) Within the preceding 24 calendar months, each static pressure system, each altimeter instrument, and each automatic pressure altitude reporting system has been tested and inspected..."

Meteological information

The following meteorological information was presented in the NTSB Meteorological Factual Report.

The PTT Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) located approximately 137 degrees at 49 nautical miles (NM) from the accident location at an elevation of 1,952 feet mean sea level (MSL), recorded:

At 0550; wind 150 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 7 SM; sky condition clear; temperature -02 degrees Celsius (C); dew point -04 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.19 inches hg.

At 0652; wind 140 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 5 SM; mist; sky condition clear; temperature -02 degrees C; dew point -04 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.19 inches hg.

The Dodge City Regional Airport (DDC), Dodge City, Kansas, Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS), located approximately 218 degrees at 39 NM from the accident location at an elevation 2,594 feet MSL, recorded:

At 0553; wind calm; visibility 5 SM; mist; sky condition overcast 600 feet AGL; temperature -4 degrees C; dew point -6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.18 inches hg.

At 0653; wind 280 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 5 SM; mist; sky condition overcast 600 feet AGL; temperature -3 degrees C; dew point -5 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.18 inches hg.

No weather observations were available from N735RD's destination airport at Colby, Kansas. Weather observations from Goodland, Kansas, in part, follow. The Goodland Municipal Airport (GLD), Goodland, Kansas, ASOS located approximately 301 degrees at 123 NM from the accident location at an elevation of 3,656 feet MSL, recorded:

At 0553; wind 260 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 10 SM; sky condition overcast 10,000 feet AGL; temperature -3 degrees C; dew point -7 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.10 inches hg.

At 0653; wind 260 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 10 SM; sky condition broken 9,000 feet AGL overcast 12,000 feet AGL; temperature -2 degrees C; dew point -6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.12 inches hg.

The Liberal Municipal Airport (LBL), Liberal, Kansas, AWOS, located approximately 223 degrees at 103 NM from the accident location at a field elevation 2,883 feet MSL, recorded:

At 0555; wind 310 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 1/4 SM; weather unknown; sky condition overcast 100 feet AGL; temperature -5 degrees C; dew point -6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.13 inches hg.

The Chicago Aviation Area Forecast issued at 0445 for the following areas of Kansas:

Northwestern: Scattered cirrus. After 1100, broken 15,000 MSL; top flight level (FL) 250. Outlook VFR.

Southwestern: Ceiling broken 1,000 feet AGL, top 5,000 feet MSL; visibility 3-5 SM, mist. From 1100, broken 15,000 MSL, top FL 250. Outlook VFR.

North central/northeastern: Broken 15,000 feet MSL, top flight level 250; until 0900 occasional visibility 3-5 SM; mist; outlook VFR.

South central/southeastern: Scattered to broken 15,000 feet MSL, top FL 280; until 0900 occasional visibility 3-5 SM; mist; 1500 ceiling broken to scattered 4,000 feet MSL overcas