DEN04FA057

The pilot checked weather conditions for his route of flight before leaving for the airport. The airplane took off at 0615, flew northeast for approximately 25 miles before turning on to a 100-degree heading, which the pilot maintained to the accident site. A computer-generated flight plan showed the pilot proposed to fly north around the Denver International Airport at 7,500 feet, then fly direct to Chanute, Kansas. The pilot's cruising altitude block showed 11,500 feet, and his estimated time en route to his destination showed 3 hours and 28 minutes. Air traffic control radar showed the airplane take off proceed northeast to Gilcrest, Colorado, and then turn on to a southeast heading of approximately 100 degrees. The data showed the airplane hold this flight path to the accident site. No altitude information was recorded. A witness working on power lines near the accident site said he saw the airplane fly overhead at low altitude, barely clearing the set of power lines. He said the engine sounded normal. The witness said he did not see the airplane crash because of the dense fog in the area. Weather conditions at Burlington, Colorado, 12 miles south of the accident site, at the time of the accident were indefinite ceiling with a vertical visibility of 100 feet, surface visibility 1/4 statute mile and fog, temperature and dew point 39 degrees F, and an altimeter of 29.96 inches. An examination of the airplane showed evidence of structural icing on the wings, wing struts, right wheel pant, and empennage. No other anomalies were found.

History of flight

On April 6, 2004, at 0730 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182F, N3524Y, was destroyed when it impacted terrain 12 miles north of the Kit Carson County Airport (ITR), Burlington, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole person on board, sustained fatal injuries. The personal, cross-country flight from Boulder, Colorado, to Chanute, Kansas, was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated at 0615.

The pilot's wife stated that he checked the weather conditions the night before the accident flight and determined that he would takeoff early to preclude flying through scattered rain showers forecasted for Kansas in the afternoon. She said early the morning of the flight, the pilot checked the weather channel again and made telephone calls to Burlington, Colorado, Hutchison, Kansas, and Chanute, Kansas. She said she assumed he was checking the weather conditions at those locations.

A line worker at the Boulder Municipal Airport (1V5) said he put 37 gallons of fuel in the airplane, just before the pilot took off. The fuel receipt from the purchase indicated this took place at 0550.

A computer-generated flight profile found in the airplane wreckage showed the pilot proposed to depart 1V5 at 0615. His route of flight block showed "north, fly around DIA (Denver International Airport) at 7,500 feet, direct to Chanute, Kansas." His cruising altitude block showed 11,500 feet, and his estimated time en route showed 3 hours and 28 minutes.

Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center radar showed the airplane take off from Boulder, Colorado, proceed northeast to Gilcrest, Colorado, and then turn on to an east-southeast heading of approximately 100 degrees. The radar data showed the airplane hold this flight path to the accident site. No altitude information was recorded.

A witness working on power lines near the accident site said he saw the airplane fly overhead at low altitude, barely clearing the set of power lines. He said the engine sounded normal. The witness said he did not see the airplane crash because of the dense fog in the area.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating, dated February 12, 1960.

According to his recent logbook, on March 18, 2004, the pilot had approximately 130 total flying hours. The pilot successfully completed a flight review on January 19, 2004. His logbooks showed no record of instrument training.

The pilot held a third class medical certificate, dated September 4, 2003. The certificate showed the following limitations: Not valid for any class after September 30, 2004. Must wear lenses that correct for distant vision, possess glasses for near/intermediate vision. If treatment for prostate cancer required, notify FAA immediately.

The pilot also possessed an FAA letter titled "6-year Authorization for Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate (Authorization)," for his prostate cancer and hypothyroidism history, dated January 28, 2004 that superseded his medical certificate. The letter stated the authorization expired on September 30, 2009.

Aircraft information

The airplane, serial number 182-54425, was manufactured in 1963. The airplane was owned by the pilot and used for pleasure. The airplane's most recent registration was dated December 2, 2003.

The airplane underwent an annual inspection on October 7, 2003. According to the engine logbooks, the total airframe time recorded at the annual inspection was 5,188.2 hours. The tachometer time recorded at the annual inspection was 686.6 hours. The airplane's tachometer reading recorded at the accident site was 708.1 hours.

Meteorology conditions

At 0753, the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) at ITR reported an indefinite ceiling with a vertical visibility of 100 feet, surface visibility of 1/4 statute mile and fog, temperature 39 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 39 degrees F, and altimeter 29.96 inches.

In-Flight Advisories (AIRMETs) Zulu, Sierra, and Tango, issued at 0745, from Denver, Colorado, to Goodland, Kansas, to 50 miles west of Lubbock, Texas, to Texico VOR (Clovis, New Mexico), to 60 miles north of Wink, Texas, to Roswell, New Mexico, to Alamosa, Colorado, to Denver, called for occasional moderate rime/mixed icing in precipitation between 10,000 and FL200.

Wreckage and impact information

The National Transportation Safety Board's on scene investigation began on April 6, 2004, at 1300.

The accident site was located in a fallowed alfalfa field north of Kit Carson County Road GG at coordinates 39 degrees, 33.00 minutes north latitude, and 102 degrees, 12.70 minutes west longitude. The accident site elevation was approximately 4,000 feet mean sea level.

The accident site began with a 24 foot long, 8 foot wide, and 12 inch deep ground scar, that defined the initial impact. The ground scar ran along a 100-degree magnetic heading. At approximately 18 and 20 feet from the start of the ground scar were two perpendicular slashes in the dirt consistent with propeller strikes. Within and just north of the ground scar were small white, orange, and red colored paint chips, fragmented pieces of clear Plexiglas, fragmented pieces of fiberglass from the airplane's nose wheel pant, and pieces of the nose gear strut.

A debris field, approximately 215 feet long and 40 feet at its widest point extended eastward from the ground scar along a 100-degree magnetic heading. Within the debris field were pieces of engine intake and exhaust manifolds, fragmented pieces of clear Plexiglas, pieces of engine cowling, pieces of nose gear, the wing tips, and the propeller.

A 4-foot long piece of the right wing's leading edge was located 39 feet from the ground scar. The aft portion of the airplane's left wing tip was located 61 feet east and 17 feet north of the ground scar. The wing tip piece was broken aft longitudinally along the rivet line and fractured laterally.

The airplane's propeller was located 63 feet east of the ground scar. The propeller was broken free at the flange mounting bolts. The two remaining bolt pieces in the propeller hub showed torsional fractures. Both propeller blades showed torsional bending, chordwise scratches, leading edge nicks, and tip curling.

The airplane's right wing tip was located 73 feet east of the ground scar. The wing tip was broken aft longitudinally along the rivet line.

A portion of the propeller spinner was located 81 feet east of the ground scar. The spinner was crushed aft, broken and twisted counter clockwise. On the inside of the spinner were rotational scoring marks.

The airplane's nose gear strut and two cabin bulkhead panels were located 95 feet east and 15 to 25 feet north of the ground scar. The nose gear strut was broken aft. The nose tire, axle, fork and wheel pant were missing.

A second ground scar, 30 feet long, 3 feet at its widest point, and 12 inches deep began 139 feet from the start of the initial impact point. In the vicinity north of the second ground scar were the engine oil cooler, the left cabin door window, pieces of engine intake manifold, personal effects, and a piece of the lower cowling which was crushed and broken aft.

A handheld Global Positioning System receiver, cellular telephone, tool bag, jacket, the airplane's muffler, a checklist, wing inspection panel, piece of the left control yoke, center windscreen post with the magnetic compass, part of the left cabin door, and part of the glareshield were located approximately 187 feet east of the initial impact point.

A cowl flap and pieces of broken cowling were located 194 feet from the initial impact point.

The right cabin door, the fuselage mounting bolt and lower portion of the right wing strut, the carburetor, and a tow bar wer