LAX05FA076

After encountering severe turbulence during an IFR localizer approach, the pilot was not able to maintain control of the airplane, and impacted trees and mountainous terrain. He was diverting from another airport due to weather and turbulence. The pilot said that he was established on the localizer approach at 4,000 feet msl, when he felt a jolt and heard a loud noise. The jolt he attributed to severe turbulence. He looked into the cabin area to see what had fallen, and when he looked back at the instruments, the airplane was in an unusual attitude, descending at a steep bank angle and a high airspeed. He leveled the wings, reduced the power, and raised the nose of the airplane to stop the descent. The pilot reported that he was attempting to reestablish the flight on the localizer when he saw trees directly in front of him. He raised the nose and impacted the trees. There was a deep low-pressure system with an occluded front off the Pacific coast with an extensive area of clouds and precipitation. Conditions at the destination airport and alternate airport where the pilot diverted to after a missed approach attempt were IFR to MVFR. The alternate airport also reported an overcast ceiling of 2,800 feet agl, with light and continuous rain. Prior to the accident there was a turbulence report of light chop; however, no forecasts for turbulence had been issued. Shortly after the accident an AIRMET was issued, which advised for occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet over the accident area.

History of flight

On January 25, 2005, about 1630 Pacific standard time, a single engine Beech P35, N222V, collided with trees near Pine Mountain, Willits, California. The owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was destroyed. The private instrument-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The personal cross-country flight departed Renton Municipal Airport (RNT), Renton, Washington, at 1150, en route to Lampson Field Airport (1O2), Lakeport, California. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The wreckage was at 39 degrees 21.091 minutes north latitude and 123 degrees 16.175 minutes west longitude.

The pilot reported that the weather conditions in the area of the accident were gusty and choppy with heavy rain.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge interviewed the pilot. The pilot reported that 2 days prior to the flight, he had made several instrument approaches with a safety pilot, and had reviewed the approach charts and sectional maps for the flight, as well as planned the route of flight. The pilot stated that he had filed an IFR flight plan from Renton to Lampson, and identified Ukiah Municipal Airport (UKI), Ukiah, California, as his alternate airport. From Renton to Fort Jones, California (Siskiyou County), the flight had been visual flight rules (VFR) on top with no problems encountered. Once he arrived in the Mendocino County area, where Lampson and Ukiah airports were located, the weather became IFR. He made an approach into Lampson Field Airport, and did not break out of the clouds during the first step down issued by air traffic control (ATC) personnel. At that point he decided to abort the approach and divert to his alternate airport, Ukiah, located 16 miles northwest of Lampson Field.

The pilot stated that ATC had told him that once he was established on the localizer approach for Ukiah (runway15), he was cleared to land. The pilot stated that he was at 6,000 feet, made the procedure turn, and established the airplane on the localizer approach. Per the published approach procedures, once he was established on the localizer approach, he descended to 4,000 feet. As he leveled off at 4,000 feet, he felt a "jolt" and heard a loud noise. He attributed the "jolt" to severe turbulence. He looked back into the cabin area to see what had fallen, and when he looked back at the instruments, the airplane was in an unusual attitude (descending and at a steep bank angle), and the airspeed was in the yellow arc. He leveled the wings, reduced the power, and raised the nose of the airplane to stop the descent. The pilot reported that when the airplane encountered the severe turbulence the autopilot disengaged. He did not reengage the autopilot during the rest of the flight. He attempted to make corrective measures to reestablish the flight on the localizer approach when he saw trees. He raised the nose and impacted the trees.

The pilot further reported that once he was established on the localizer approach he lowered the landing gear, put in 10 degrees of flaps, and reduced the airspeed to about 90 knots. He noted the weather as instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and raining. After the accident, he got out of the airplane and had to hike out to a dirt road, where a land owner found him walking down the road. The land owner drove him to the hospital.

In his written statement the pilot reported that his arrival at Lampson was still in daylight in IFR conditions. He listened to ASOS and noted that the ceiling and visibility were missing. He was cleared for the NDB approach, but declared a missed approach due to the bumpy conditions that were encountered. The pilot asked ATC for the nearest airport that was reporting VFR conditions. ATC personnel informed him that UKI was reporting VFR conditions. He asked for and received a clearance to UKI. After he reached UKI and leveled off at 4,000 feet, the airplane encountered "severe turbulence." He momentarily looked back into the cockpit and when he returned his attention to the instrument panel he noted that the airplane was in a steep right bank and descending at 1,500 feet per minute. The pilot was able to determine that the airplane was west of the localizer via the OBS. He turned to the east and noted that the OBS needle began to center and then "swung erratically from side to side." The 'to' arrow remained ON.

The pilot reported that he was about to declare the missed approach and asked ATC for vectors back to UKI when he saw trees to the left of the airplane and immediately in front of him. The airplane came to rest inverted after it collided with trees.

According to the pilot, the airplane was fueled at RNT with 102 gallons of fuel on board. The pilot estimated that he had about 40 gallons remaining when he reached UKI.

Meteorological information

The pilot received a standard weather briefing from RNT.

A staff meteorologist for the Safety Board prepared a factual report, which is attached to this report. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), an area of low pressure existed off the Pacific Northwest coast, with an occluded front extending from the low off Washington, Oregon, and Northern California, to a triple point where the front separated into a warm front and cold front. Two high-pressure systems were located over Idaho and Utah. The accident site was located ahead of the warm front and west of the high-pressure system.

The weather depiction chart for Ukiah indicated marginal VFR conditions with an overcast ceiling at 2,800 feet with light continuous rain prior to the accident.

The closest official weather observation station was UKI, located 14 nautical miles (nm) south-southeast of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 614 feet msl. A routine aviation weather report (METAR) issued at 1409 reported winds from 110 degrees at 8 knots; visibility 4 statute miles (sm) in moderate rain and mist; few clouds at 2,200 feet, a broken cloud layer at 2,900 feet (ceiling), and an overcast cloud layer at 6,000 feet. The temperature was 12 degrees Celsius; dew point 10 degrees Celsiu;, and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inches of Mercury (inHg).

At 1432, UKI reported winds from 120 degrees at 10 knots; visibility 6 sm in light rain and mist; a scattered cloud layer at 2,200 feet, a broken cloud layer at 3,200 feet, and an overcast cloud layer at 4,500 feet. The temperature was reported as 12 degrees Celsius; dew point 10 degrees Celsius; and an altimeter setting of 29.91 inHg.

At 1456, UKI reported winds from 130 degrees at 11 knots; visibility 8 sm in light rain; few clouds at 1,900 feet, a broken cloud layer at 2,300 feet, and an overcast cloud layer at 3,200 feet. The temperature was reported as 12 degrees Celsiu;, dew point 10 degrees Celsiu;, and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inHg.

At 1656, UKI reported winds from 120 degrees at 9 knots; visibility 10 sm; broken cloud layers at 2,100 feet and 2,600 feet, and an overcast cloud layer at 4,900 feet. The temperature was reported as 12 degrees Celsius; dew point 10 degrees Celsius; and an altimeter setting of 29.90 inHg.

Multiple pilot reports in the surrounding area of the accident reported light chop to moderate turbulence, as well as, light rime and moderate mixed icing.

The area forecast (FA) for the accident area warned users to view the latest AIRMET Sierra series for IFR conditions, which amended the forecast. The FA also reported that thunderstorms implied severe and greater turbulence, severe icing, low-level wind shear, and IFR conditions.

The forecast for Northern California over the coastal sections called for a scattered cloud layer at 1,000 feet, a scattered to broken cloud layer at 3,000 feet and an overcast cloud layer at 6,