DEN04FA104

A witness who lived next to the airport said he heard the airplane at about 0530, but did not see the airplane. The witness said it was foggy, that you could not see beyond 50 feet. The witness said that the airplane sounded normal - "running like they revved it [the airplane] up for takeoff." He couldn't see because of the fog. He then heard a sound like something hitting a building. The witness said that later he left his house on personal business. When he came back, he drove into the pasture and found the airplane. A weather station 33 nautical miles west of the accident site reported a 300 foot ceiling, surface visibility of 5 statute miles and mist, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 71 degrees F, winds 040 degrees at 4 knots, and altimeter 30.10 inches. A weather station 30 nautical miles east of the accident site reported clear skies, a surface visibility of 6 statute miles and mist, temperature 68 degrees F, dew point 68 degrees F, calm winds, and altimeter 30.12 inches. The weather conditions at the time of the accident for the airport located 1/2 mile east of the accident site, was calm winds and a temperature and dew point of 69 degrees F. A local police officer observed the weather on the airport approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes before the accident. He described it as fog with a visibility of approximately 1/8 of a mile or less. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. The pilot's autopsy report stated, "... The degree of observed heart disease present can cause sudden and unexpected symptoms. There were no findings present, however, which would necessarily indicate that such symptoms did occur. ..." According to the Aeronautical Information Manual, "Somatogravic illusion" is a condition described where, "A rapid acceleration during takeoff can create the illusion of being in a nose up attitude. The disoriented pilot will push the aircraft into a nose low, or dive attitude. A rapid deceleration by a quick reduction of the throttles can have the opposite effect, with the disoriented pilot pulling the aircraft into a nose up or stall attitude." This illusion usually occurs at night or in instrument meteorological conditions.

History of flight

On July 11, 2004, at 0530 central daylight time, a Cessna 172I, N46174, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when the airplane struck several trees and subsequently impacted terrain 0.42 nautical miles west of the Paris-Subiaco Municipal Airport (7M6), Paris, Arkansas. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger on board the airplane were fatally injured. The cross-country flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Ozark, Arkansas.

A witness who lived next to the airport said he heard the airplane at about 0530, but did not see the airplane. He said it was foggy, that you could not see beyond 50 feet. The witness said that the airplane sounded normal - "running like they revved it [the airplane] up for takeoff." The witness said he couldn't see it because of the fog. He then heard a sound like something hitting a building. The witness said that later he left his house on personal business. When he came back, he drove into the pasture and found the airplane. He said he called the sheriff at approximately 1030.

The county sheriff said the pilot made the flight to Ozark every Sunday to attend a breakfast and devotional service at the airport. The pilot-rated passenger was the music minister for a local church.

Personnel information

The pilot, age 72, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating. The certificate was dated November 22, 1996.

According to his logbook, as of May 25, 2003, the pilot had 830.8 total flying hours. Approximately 800 hours was as pilot-in-command.

The pilot successfully completed a flight review on December 8, 2002.

The pilot held a third class medical, dated November 4, 2003. The medical certificate cited the limitations that the pilot must wear corrective lenses for distance vision and must have available glasses for near vision. The certificate also cited, "Not valid for any class after October 31, 2004."

The pilot-rated passenger, age 55, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating. The certificate was dated April 15, 1983.

According to his most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) physical examination, dated March 2, 2004, the pilot-rated passenger reported having 340 total flying hours, and 15 hours in the previous 6 months.

The pilot-rated passenger successfully completed a flight review on June 10, 2003.

The pilot-rated passenger held a third class medical, dated March 2, 2004. The medical certificate cited the limitations that the pilot must wear corrective lenses for distance vision and must have available glasses for near vision.

Aircraft information

The airplane, serial number 172-57089 was a 1968 Cessna 172I. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot and used for pleasure, and as a rental airplane at the local Fixed Base Operator (FBO).

According to the airframe logbook, the airplane underwent an annual inspection on November 1, 2003. At the time of the inspection the airplane had a recorded tachometer time of 4,746.20 total hours. The tachometer time recorded at the accident site was 4,797.94 hours.

Meteorological information

At 0553, the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) at Fort Smith, Arkansas, 275 degrees from the accident site at 33 nautical miles, reported a 300 foot ceiling, surface visibility of 5 statute miles and mist, temperature 72 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 71 degrees F, winds 040 degrees at 4 knots, and altimeter 30.10 inches.

At 0553, the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) at Russellville, Arkansas, 090 degrees from the accident site at 29.5 nautical miles, reported clear skies, surface visibility of 6 statute miles and mist, temperature 68 degrees F, dew point 68 degrees F, calm winds, and altimeter 30.12 inches.

Weather observations for 7M6 showed a temperature and dew point of 69 degrees F, beginning approximately 0353 and continuing through 0553. Visibility during this time was recorded as 6 miles and mist. Winds were reported as calm.

A local police officer on duty reported he was patrolling in the area of the Paris Airport early that morning. The officer reported that at 0244, fog was beginning to set into the area. The officer estimated the visibility at that time was 3/4 of a mile. The officer stated he went by the airport again at 0430. The office stated that at that time the visibility was approximately 1/8 of a mile or less. The officer stated that he returned to the airport a third time at approximately 0605. At this time the fog was beginning to lift and clear out. It was daylight and that the visibility was about 4 miles.

Wreckage and impact information

The NTSB on scene investigation began July 12, 2004, at 0730.

The accident scene was located in a cedar grove located 0.42 nautical miles from the end of runway 31 at the Paris Municipal Airport at a heading of 254 degrees. The main wreckage was located at coordinates 35 degrees, 17.51 minutes north latitude, and 093 degrees, 41.24 minutes west longitude. The elevation at the accident site was approximately 460 feet mean sea level.

The accident scene began with a 30-foot tall cedar tree. The top branches of the tree were broken and had fallen. Small pieces of fiberglass and red and white paint chips were located on the ground just northwest of the tree. A second cedar tree was located 20 feet northwest of the first tree. The tree was approximately 13-inches in diameter. The top 8 feet of the tree was broken off and was lying in some of the tree's lower branches. Pieces of metal, more paint chips, and fiberglass pieces were found on the ground in the vicinity just west of the tree. From the second cedar tree, the wreckage path to the airplane fell along an approximate heading of 313 degrees.

Approximately 42 feet northwest of the 13-inch diameter cedar tree was a 4-foot long section of the right outboard wing and right aileron. The wing and aileron sections were broken aft longitudinally. A 20-inch diameter "C" shaped dent was present in the leading edge, approximately 3 inches inboard of a longitudinally running rivet line. Pieces of cedar bark and needles were embedded in the dent. A portion of the aileron cables was found within the wing section. The cable ends showed evidence of overload failure.

Approximately 63 feet from the large cedar (13-inch diameter cedar tree) was a 6 foot section of the right outboard wing, the wing tip, and the outboard 6 feet of the right aileron. The wing section was broken aft longitudinally. The leading edge of the wing was crushed aft to the rear spar at the fracture. A 6-inch diameter "C" shaped dent was present in the leading edge, approximately 4 feet inboard of the wing tip. Pieces of cedar bark were embedded in the dent. Pieces of broken clear Plexiglas and red and white paint chips were found in the area of the outboard wing section.

A third broken cedar tree was located 70 feet from the 13-inch diameter cedar tree. It had been severed approximately 20 feet up from the ground. The top and numerous large tree branches were found on the ground running northwest from the tree toward the main wreckage. Several of the tree branches showed 45-degree angular clean cuts through them.

Approximately 19 feet northwest from the third broken cedar and 89 feet from the 13-inch diameter cedar was the right main landing gear, the aft portions of the left and right gear wheel pants, and pieces of clear Plexiglas.

Approximately 94 feet from the 13-inch cedar tree was a fourth broken cedar tree. This tree was 12 inches in diameter and was severed approximately 8 feet up from the ground. The top of the tree and numerous branches were