FTW03FA029

During a cross-country flight, the non-instrument rated private pilot encountered heavy fog and poor visibility, and the airplane was destroyed after impacting the terrain in a wildlife refuge. Wildlife refuge personnel stated the weather was clear on the morning of the accident. However, later that morning, the weather deteriorated, and the wildlife refuge personnel stated, "the fog was very heavy and visibility was very poor." While driving throught the wildlife refuge, an employee discovered a portion of the airplane wreckage on the side of the road. An AIRMET, issued and valid for the area, reported the following: "occasional ceiling below 1,000 feet, visibility below 3 miles in mist, fog...Mountains occasionally obscured clouds, mist, fog..." On the day of the accident, the pilot did not file a flight plan or receive a formal weather briefing from a FAA flight service station. The wreckage distribution path measured approximately 1,200 feet in length on a measured magnetic heading of 280 degrees. The initial impact ground scar was consistent with the right wing and all three landing gear, and white paint transfer was found on the dirt in the ground scar. During examination of the airplane, no anomalies were found with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal flight operations. The airplane's parachute system had not been activated by the pilot.

History of flight

On November 3, 2002, approximately 1225 mountain standard time (MST), a Cirrus Design Corporation. SR20, single-engine airplane, N566T, was destroyed after impacting terrain while maneuvering near Las Vegas, New Mexico. The non-instrument rated private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to the pilot and another private individual and was operated by the pilot. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed Renner Field (GLD), in Goodland, Kansas, approximately 1015 central standard time, and was destined for Double Eagle II Airport (AEG), in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

During a telephone interview with a relative of the pilot, the relative stated the pilot would typically depart from his private airstrip, which was located at the pilot's residence, at sunrise. On the night prior to the accident, the pilot and relative checked the weather on the computer using Direct User Access Terminal (DUATS), and the pilot also contacted flight service for any temporary flight restrictions along the planned route of flight. The pilot's planned route of flight was the following: depart North Dakota, fuel stop in Pierre, South Dakota, fuel stop in Goodland, Kansas, and then to AEG (the accident flight was the second time the pilot had flown the planned route). On the morning of the accident, at 1115 MST, the pilot contacted the relative and reported he was 136 miles from AEG and the weather was beautiful. The relative stated the pilot would typically fly the airplane at a cruise speed of 150 knots and at an altitude of 1,000 feet agl.

A fixed base operator (FBO) refueler, located at Renner Field, stated the accident airplane landed approximately 1050. The refueler topped off both fuel tanks and talked with the pilot about the airplane. The pilot departed at 1115. According to the refueler, the FBO was equipped with a computer weather reporting station, and prior to departing, the pilot had not checked the weather on the computer.

An employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, Las Vegas, New Mexico, reported the 9,000 acre wildlife refuge was open to the public on Sundays in November. The public was able to tour the refuge on a 4.5-mile one-way auto tour loop road to view the migratory bird activity. On the morning of the accident, between 0820 and 0840, the weather was clear; however, a front was coming in from the east. From 0900 until 1045, the employee logged four vehicle tours with a total of 11 individuals entering the refuge. The employee and a refuge volunteer discussed that the weather was not good for bird viewing and thought the front would possibly blow over. Between 1100 and 1115, the volunteer drove on the loop road, and at this time, the "fog was heavy." Approximately 1330, the employee closed the front entrance gate and made a final drive through the loop road. At that time, the employee reported the "fog was very heavy and visibility was very poor, probably no more than 30 [meters], and [the employee] remembered driving through pockets of heavier fog." While driving west on the loop road near the exit, the employee discovered a portion of the airplane wreckage on the side of the road.

The refuge volunteer reported the weather was partly to mostly cloudy most of the morning. By 1100, [the sky] had become overcast, and fog was forming over the refuge lakes and ponds. By 1130, the refuge volunteer stated the visibility was poor. The volunteer took his final ride on the loop road and reported the fog had thickened and visibility had become too poor for waterbird observation and identification.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The private pilot was issued a third class medical certificate on November 13, 2000, with the limitation, "holder must wear corrective lenses for distant vision and possess for near vision while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate." The pilot's most recent biennial flight review was completed on January 8, 2001. According to the logbook, the pilot was originally issued his private pilot certificate in 1950.

A review of the private pilot's logbook revealed the private pilot had accumulated approximately 1884 hours total flight time, of which 82 hours were in the accident airplane. The date of the last recorded entry in the logbook was May 18, 2002, which was a flight recorded as "Albuquerque - Home, stops at KS and Pierre SD." On January 8, 2001, the pilot completed the New-Owner Training for the Cirrus SR20 (a program sponsored by Cirrus Design Corp.). The course instruction is provided by contract flight instructors.

Aircraft information

The 2000-model Cirrus Design Corp. SR-20 airplane, serial number 1109, was a low-wing, fixed tri-cycle landing gear, primarily composite, and monocoque design airplane. The airplane was powered by a six cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled, fuel injected Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) IO-360-ES-6 engine (serial number 357283), rated at 200 horsepower. The airplane was equipped with a three-blade Hartzell constant speed, aluminum alloy propeller. The airplane was configured to carry four occupants.

The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on December 29, 2000, and was certificated for normal category operations. The airplane was registered to the owner on February 22, 2001. At the time of the accident, the airplane and engine had accumulated a total time of 276.8 hours.

According to the FAA approved Cirrus Design SR20 Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH), the airplane uses conventional flight controls for the ailerons, elevator and rudder. The control surfaces are pilot controlled through either of the two single-handed side control yokes. The flight control system contains a combination of push rods, cables, and bell cranks for the control of the surfaces.

Meteorological information

At 1153, the LVS Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) station, located 8.1 miles north of the accident site, reported the wind from 070 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, ceiling overcast at 300 feet agl, temperature 32 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 29 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of Mercury.

At 1253, the LVS ASOS station reported the wind from 090 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, ceiling overcast at 500 feet agl, temperature 34 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 29 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of Mercury.

At 1239, a pilot report (PIREP) was submitted by a Piper PA-28 aircraft on a flight from Dalhart (DHT), Texas, to Sante Fe (SAF), New Mexico, operating an altitude of 10,500 feet. The location of the aircraft at the time of the submission was unknown. The PIREP reported the sky was overcast with the layer tops at 10,000 feet msl, the overcast layer began 20 nautical miles west of DHT to 25 nautical miles southeast of SAF, and no turbulence.

The National Weather Service, in Kansas City, Missouri, issued AIRMET Sierra Update 3, on November 3, 2002, at 1020, which was valid until 1400, on November 3, 2002. The AIRMET stated the following, "occasional ceiling below 1,000 feet, visibility below 3 miles in mist, fog. Conditions ending [1200 to 1300]. Mountains occasionally obscured clouds, mist, fog. Conditions ending [1300 to 1400]." There were no SIGMETs or Convective SIGMETs in effect for the time and area of the accident.

A written statement was provided by a pilot who was operating a Cirrus SR22 airplane over LVS at 1500, at an altitude of 9,500 feet msl. According to the pilot, as he approached LVS from the southwest, he began to see what appeared to b