FTW02FA118

The pilot obtained two weather briefings prior to the takeoff for a visual flight rules day cross-country flight to Amarillo (AMA), Texas. His estimated arrival time at AMA was 1000 central daylight time (cdt). According to the weather briefings, the forecast for AMA indicated occasional visibility of 5 statute miles, mist, and overcast clouds at 2,000 feet. The pilot was also advised of a lingering stationary front in the Texas Panhandle and thunderstorms in the area. At 0818 cdt, the pilot radioed a flight service station over a flight watch frequency to obtain updated weather for AMA. The pilot was informed that a convective sigmet was in effect, and that flight under visual flight rules was not recommended. The briefer also informed the pilot that the forecast for AMA for the next 90 minutes indicated an occasional ceiling of broken clouds at 600 feet. At 0927 cdt, a special weather observation for AMA indicated visibility of 4 statute miles, mist, broken clouds at 300 feet, and overcast clouds at 700 feet. At 0933 cdt, the pilot contacted approach control, confirmed he had the current ATIS, and requested Special VFR to the airport, advising the controller that he was at 3,700 feet mean sea level (msl) (AMA airport elevation is 3,607 feet msl). At 0940 cdt, the pilot reported he was 8 miles north of the airport, and between 3,700 feet and 3,800 feet msl. Radar contact was established when the airplane was 6 miles north of AMA. At 0941 cdt, the controller issued the pilot permission to enter Class C airspace and to maintain Special VFR conditions. The pilot confirmed the clearance. Subsequent attempts by the controller to establish communications with N983HH proved unsuccessful. The airplane impacted a power plant 5 miles northwest of the airport at the 154 foot level. Witnesses who observed the aircraft just prior to the accident reported very foggy conditions. No aircraft or engine anomalies were noted that would have prevented normal operations.

History of flight

On April 12, 2002, approximately 0942 Central Daylight Time, a Cessna T182 single-engine airplane, N983HH, was destroyed when it impacted an electrical generating power plant while maneuvering near Amarillo, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The instrument rated pilot and his passenger received fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal cross-country flight. The flight originated at the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Fort Collins, Colorado at 0600 Mountain Daylight Time, and was destined for the Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas.

The pilot called the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) the evening prior to the flight and the morning of the accident to check the weather for the route of flight. At 2117 MDT, on the evening before the flight, the pilot informed the briefer that he would be arriving Amarillo at approximately 1000 CDT. The briefer informed the pilot that the terminal area forecast (TAF) for Amarillo indicated that between 0500 CDT and 0900 CDT, there would be occasional visibility of 5 statute miles, mist, and overcast clouds at 2,000 feet.

At 0419 MDT on the morning of the accident, the pilot contacted the AFSS for a second briefing and was informed by the briefer of a lingering stationary front which ran through the northern portion of the Texas Panhandle, becoming a cold front through northern Oklahoma. The briefer also informed the pilot that at 0412, Amarillo was reporting visibility 4 statute miles and mist, with a few clouds at 400 feet. The briefer also stated that Amarillo had earlier reported visibility 5 statute miles and mist, and that there was a "tight temperature/dew point spread." The pilot then filed two VFR flight plans; one from Fort Collins to Amarillo, and the other from Amarillo to Fredericksburg, Texas.

At 0818 CDT, the pilot of N983HH called Denver Flight Watch over La Junta, Colorado, 213 nautical miles north northwest of Amarillo, to obtain weather information over his route of flight. The pilot was informed that convective Sigmet 33C was in effect for a line of severe thunderstorms, and advised the pilot that flight under visual flight rules (VFR) was not recommended. The Flight Watch controller also informed the pilot that he had not activated his VFR flight plan. The pilot was referred to Denver Radio to accomplish this.

At 0821CDT, the pilot called Denver Radio over La Junta RCO (Remote Communication Outlet) to activate his VFR flight plan. The in-flight controller activated the VFR flight plan and ensured that the pilot was aware of the latest weather advisories for his route of flight.

At 0933 CDT, the pilot contacted Amarillo approach, reporting he was approximately 20 miles north of Amarillo inbound for landing. The controller asked the pilot if he had the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), and told the pilot that Amarillo was operating under instrument flight rules (IFR). The pilot stated that he had the current ATIS information and requested Special IFR, which was later corrected to Special VFR. The pilot was then given a transponder code to squawk and reported to the controller that he was at 3,700 feet and sixteen miles from Amarillo (AMA elevation is 3,605 feet mean sea level), going over railroad tracks and a big railroad bridge. The controller, unable to identify N983HH on his radar, instructed the pilot to continue southbound, and to let him know when he was about eight miles north of the airport.

At 0940 CDT, the pilot reported to approach control, as requested, that he was 8 miles north of the airport. The controller informed the pilot that he still didn't have him in radar contact, and asked what his heading was. The pilot replied, "Heading is 143 degrees." The controller then asked the pilot if he was still at 3,700 or 3,800 feet, to which the pilot responded "affirmative." Radar contact was established when the aircraft was approximately 6 miles north of the airport.

At 0941 CDT, the pilot was given permission to enter Class C airspace, to maintain Special VFR conditions while in Class C airspace, and to contact Amarillo tower on frequency 118.3 MHz. The pilot confirmed the tower frequency but did not confirm the clearance. There were no further communications with N983HH.

The airplane had impacted an electrical generating power plant located approximately 5 miles northwest of the Amarillo International Airport at the 154 foot level. According to a witness working at the power plant, "It was very foggy at the time, but we looked up and saw a single-engine blue and white airplane flying from northwest to southeast, directly towards the power plant." Another witness, who was working at a nearby warehouse, reported seeing the plane fly over a "high rate of speed," clearing a 25 foot thaw shed by about 20 feet. "It was so low and loud I ducked and looked up and saw the plane. About 5 to 7 seconds later I heard a loud explosion."

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land and instrument airplane rating. The Federal Aviation Administration Airmen (FAA) Certification Branch, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, reported the pilot obtained his private pilot certificate on July 6, 1946. The pilot's most recent biennial flight review was conducted on October 12, 2001. According to his logbook, the pilot had accumulated approximately 2,860 hours of total flying time.

The pilot held a third class medical certificate dated May 1, 2001, with the restriction that he must wear corrective lenses.

Aircraft information

The aircraft, a 1981 model Cessna T182, received its last annual inspection on September 26, 2001, in conjunction with an engine overhaul. Total time on the engine at the time of overhaul was 1,940.3 hours. At the time of the accident the aircraft's Lycoming O-540 six-cylinder engine had accumulated a total of 100.7 hours since overhaul.

Meteorological information

On April 11, 2002, at 2117 MDT, the evening prior to the flight, the pilot called the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) by telephone to obtain an outlook briefing for a flight from the Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Fort Collins, Colorado, to the Gillespie County Airport (T82), Fredericksburg, Texas, with an intermediate refueling stop at the Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas. The briefer informed the pilot of a cold front running north and south along the front range of Colorado, down to about Roswell, New Mexico, and eastward into Texas. The briefer further stated that there was no precipitation associated with the low, that the precipitation was in northern Texas, and that there would be clear skies along the route of flight. The briefer stated there was some precipitation to the east in Colorado, extreme eastern Colorado, but mostly in western Kansas and in central Nebraska, and that the pilot's destination "looks like it's in the clear." The briefer then informed the pilot that the Amarillo TAF from 0400 CDT to 1200 CDT indicated wind 060 degrees at 6 knots, visibility unrestricted, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, and occasionally between 0500 CDT and 0900 CDT, visibility of 5 statute miles, mist, and overcast clouds at 2,000 feet.

On April 12, 2002, at 0419 MDT, the pilot called the AFSS by telephone to obtain a briefing for his proposed flight from Fort Collins to Fredericksburg, with an intermediate stop in Amarillo for fuel. The briefing specialist informed the pilot of an Airmet for icing in Kansas and northern Oklahoma above 10,000 feet and that a high pressure system was starting to build and move in from the northwest. The briefer also informed the pilot of a lingering stationary front which ran through the northern portion of