DEN02FA043

The private pilot, on a flight from Watkins, Colorado, to Thermopolis, Wyoming, diverted and landed at Casper, Wyoming, because of stormy weather along his route of flight. According to the pilot's wife, about 0030 the pilot determined that he would wait at Casper until sunrise, but was going to stop at the Flight Service Station and see what they had to say. About 0400, the pilot's wife received a call from Flight Service asking if the pilot had gotten home and forgot to close his flight plan. She told them that he wasn't there but would check and see if he had landed at the Thermopolis Airport. Flight Service told her that the pilot waited at their office until 0230 when the weather began to clear up. He left after that. At 0600, the pilot's wife contacted Flight Service and informed them that her husband was not at Thermopolis. Search and rescue was initiated. The airplane was found at 0730. It had impacted rolling terrain 15 miles west-northwest of Casper and was destroyed. At 0203, the reported weather at Casper was scattered clouds at 1,100 feet, ceiling 2,000 feet overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 43 degrees F, dew point 39 degrees F, winds 360 degrees at 6 knots, and an altimeter setting of 30.20 inches of Mercury. Civil Air Patrol personnel and local sheriff's deputies, reported dense fog in the Casper area during the early morning hours. The pilot did not have an instrument rating. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

History of flight

On May 17, 2002, approximately 0238 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170A, N1211D, piloted by a non-instrument rated private pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain 15 nautical miles west-northwest of the Natrona County International Airport (CPR), Casper, Wyoming. Night visual meteorological conditions with observed dense fog prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal, cross-country flight was being conducted on a visual flight rules flight plan from CPR to Thermopolis, Wyoming, under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated at 0228.

The pilot's wife said that the pilot took off from Watkins, Colorado, for Thermopolis, on May 16, 2002, about 1900. She said she told him that they were experiencing bad weather but it was moving rapidly to the east. The pilot's wife said she next spoke to the pilot about 2230. He told her that he was at Casper, Wyoming. He told her that he diverted around stormy weather and was going to wait until it cleared. The pilot's wife said he called her again at 0030 and told her the weather was still down and that he would be spending the night at Casper. He told her that he was going to stop at the Flight Service Station and see what they had to say. He told her that he would then sleep in the airplane until sunrise and not to expect him.

The pilot's wife said she received a call about 0400 from Flight Service asking if the pilot had gotten home and forgot to close his flight plan. She told them that he wasn't there , but would go up to the Thermopolis Airport to see if he was there. She said that Flight Service told her that the pilot waited at their office until 0230 when the weather began to clear up. He left after that.

At 0600, the pilot's wife said she spoke with Flight Service and informed them that there was no sign of her husband. Search and rescue was initiated. The airplane was located by Civil Air Patrol personnel and Natrona County Sheriff's deputies approximately 0730.

Personnel information

The pilot was an airframe and powerplant mechanic employed by a fixed base operator in Denver, Colorado. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with single engine and multi-engine land airplanes. The pilot's multi-engine land rating was restricted to centerline thrust.

According to the pilot's logbook, as of May 14, 2002, the pilot had 1,698.3 total flying hours, 1,642.3 hours in single engine land airplanes, and 1,572.7 hours as pilot-in-command. In the previous 30 days, the pilot logged 14.4 total flying hours, all of which was in N1211D. Of the 14.4 hours logged in the previous 30 days, 3.6 hours was at night.

The pilot successfully completed a flight review on May 21, 2001, in N1211D.

The pilot held a second class medical certificate dated November 5, 2001. The certificate showed the following limitation: "Holder shall wear corrective lenses.

Aircraft information

The airplane, serial number 20112, was manufactured in 1951. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot and used for transportation to his job in Denver, Colorado, and for pleasure.

According to the airframe logbooks, the airplane underwent an annual inspection on January 1, 2002. The tachometer time recorded at the annual inspection was 2,541.5 hours. The tachometer time recorded at the accident scene was 2,587.7 hours.

The airplane was powered by a Continental O-300-A, carbureted engine rated at 145 horsepower at 2,700 rpm. The engine, serial number 6783-D-2-2, time since major overhaul was 1,627.3 hours.

Meteorological information

At 0203, the Aviation Routine Weather Report at CPR was scattered clouds at 1,100 feet, ceiling 2,000 feet overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 43 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 39 degrees F, winds 360 degrees at 6 knots, and an altimeter setting of 30.20 inches of Mercury (Hg).

Civil Air Patrol personnel and Natrona County Sheriff's deputies, reported dense fog in the Casper area during the early morning hours.

Wreckage and impact information

The NTSB on scene investigation began on May 17, 2002, at 1900.

The accident site was located in a pasture 2 miles south of U. S. Highway 20, and 15 miles west-northwest of the Natrona County International Airport. The site extended south along a 168-degree magnetic heading for approximately 373 feet.

The accident site began with a 29-foot long, 10-inch wide, and 3-inch deep scrape in the ground running along a 172-degree heading. At the beginning of the scrape were pieces of red glass; blue and white paint chips, and a wing tip light frame. Along the scrape were numerous paint chips, pieces of clear Plexiglas, and pieces from the airplane's left wing.

At the end of the scrape was an impact crater. The crater was 11 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 28 inches at its deepest point near the center. Within the crater were pieces of broken Plexiglas, white paint chips, and a crushed cabin air vent. The ground at the south edge of the crater was pushed upward. A spray of dirt extended outward from the south edge of the crater for approximately 23 feet. Within the spray of dirt were broken pieces from the airplane's cowling and right wing. Additionally, there were broken pieces of Plexiglas, paint chips, and parts from the engine exhaust manifold.

The airplane's propeller was located 62 feet from the initial ground contact point. The propeller was broken torsionally from the crankshaft just behind the flange. The propeller blades showed torsional bending, tip curling, and chordwise and diagonal-running scratches. There were several nicks in the leading edges of both blades.

A debris field, beginning at the propeller, extended south along a 168-degree heading for approximately 143 feet. The debris field was approximately 70 feet at its widest point. Within the debris field were the outboard portion of the right aileron, the left wing fuel tank, the left wing strut, left main landing gear strut, a part of the rudder pedal torque tube, pieces of the cabin's interior walls, pieces of cabin insulation, the right cabin door, several flight and engine instruments, pieces of broken clear Plexiglas, the right side upper cowling door, and numerous charts, manual pages, and personal effects.

A piece of the left doorframe was located 85 feet from the initial ground contact point. It was broken outward and crushed aft.

A piece of the instrument panel with the starter switch was located 90 feet from the initial ground contact point. The panel piece was broken and twisted. The switch was broken off.

The outboard section of the right aileron was located 123 feet from the initial ground contact point. It was broken off at the hinges, and was bent upward and twisted aft.

The left wing fuel tank was located 130 feet from the initial ground contact point. The tank was broken open, and bent and crushed inward. The smell of aviation fuel was prevalent on the ground south of the fuel tank. The upper right cowling door was located at 137 feet. It was broken longitudinally along the hinges and was bent outward.

A 9-foot, 6-inch section of the airplane's left wing forward spar, the left wing strut, and the left main landing gear strut, were located 162 feet from the initial ground contact point. The spar section was broken out, twisted, and bent aft. The left strut was intact and remained attached by the mounting bolts to the wing strut and a piece of the bottom fuselage and left main landing gear strut. The left main landing gear strut was intact. The wheel, brake, and brake line was broken off. The fuselage piece with the landing gear strut was broken out, crushed and twisted. The smell of aviation fuel was prevalent on the spar section and on the ground around the spar and strut.

A second impact scar was located at 179 feet from the initial ground co