SEA02FA185

Radar identified the aircraft departing from an airport in Idaho with a destination to an airport in Oregon. The flight tracking continued in a southwesterly direction toward the destination airport. Two in-flight weather briefings were recorded with advisories given to the pilot for mountain obscuration and turbulence along the route of flight. The last briefing was about 10 minutes prior to the accident. Radar flight tracking identified the aircraft at about 8,800 feet and traveling toward and colliding with a 9,495 foot mountain. Dark night conditions existed at the time for the VFR flight. The wreckage was located at about the 8,700 foot level on steep mountainous terrain. On sight documentation indicated that the point of impact was on a rock face about 100 feet above the wreckage. The propeller assembly was found between the rock face and the main wreckage that had slid down to its final resting point. Documentation of the aircraft revealed severe aft compression crushing to the entire length of leading edge of both wings. The nose and cockpit were severely compromised. The propeller displayed severe leading edge gouges and chordwise scratching.

History of flight

On September 29, 2002, about 1950 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N514SP, registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with Mt. McLoughlin located 25 nautical miles northeast of Medford, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at Rogue Valley International Airport, Medford, at the time. No flight plan had been filed for the flight which departed from Caldwell Industrial (EUL), Caldwell, Idaho, about 1800 mountain daylight time. The flight was en route to Medford. The aircraft's emergency locator transmitter was identified by Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at 2143 and the State of Oregon Aeronautics Emergency Response initiated a search. On October 1, 2002, about 1230, the aircraft was located at the 8,700 foot level of Mt. McLoughlin (9,495 foot summit). Both the commercial pilot and the airline transport rated passenger were fatally injured.

Due to the severity of the terrain and adverse weather conditions, the aircraft was not recovered from the accident site until October 5, 2002. The wreckage was then transported to Independence, Oregon.

Personnel information

The left seat pilot held a commercial certificate for single and multi-engine land aircraft with an instrument rating. The pilot's flight logbook indicated a total flight time in all aircraft of 962 hours, with 652 hours as pilot-in-command. Approximately 375 hours had been accumulated in the make and model aircraft involved in the accident. The logbook indicated the first flight in N514SP was on March 30, 2002. At the time of the accident, a total of approximately 135 hours had been accumulated in N514SP. Logbook entries identified two flights from Medford to Boise Air Terminal (BOI), Boise, Idaho. The first flight was in July 2002, and the second flight was in August 2002. No entries indicated a flight into Caldwell.

The commercial pilot held a Class 1 medical certificate dated May 30, 2001. The medical indicated a limitation to wear corrective lenses.

The pilot seated in the right seat held an airline transport pilot certificate for multi-engine aircraft and commercial certificates for single-engine aircraft and helicopter. A flight instructor certificate was held for single and multi-engine aircraft and instrument, as well as, advanced and instrument ground instructor. At the time of the last medical examination for a Class 1 medical certificate dated July 23, 2002, the pilot indicated a total flight time of 21,000 hours. The medical indicated a limitation to wear corrective lenses.

During the review of the commercial pilot's flight logbook, two entries dated July 27, 2002 and September 8, 2002, indicated that the airline transport pilot was on board the flights during "practice instrument approaches." These flights were in the accident aircraft in Medford and Redding Municipal (RDD), Redding, California.

Aircraft information

The accident aircraft s/n: 17288871, was manufactured in 2001, and was equipped with a Lycoming Engines IO-360-L2A engine. Maintenance records indicated that the last annual inspection was accomplished on March 25, 2002, at a total airframe and engine time of 54.5 hours. On September 11, 2002, the numbers 2 and 4 cylinders rocker cover gaskets were replaced. The engine was run and leak checked. No leaks were noted. Approximately 12 hours had been accumulated on the aircraft after this last maintenance visit.

Meteorological information

At 1956, Medford Rogue Valley International Airport, located 25 nautical miles southwest of the accident site at an elevation of 1,335 feet, reported the weather as few clouds at 7,000 feet. Visibility was 10 statute miles. The winds were from 360 degrees at six knots. The temperature was 13 degrees Celsius and the altimeter setting was 30.06" Hg.

At 1953, Klamath Falls International Airport, Klamath Falls, Oregon, located 31 nautical miles southeast of the accident site at an elevation of 4,095 feet, reported the weather as few clouds at 4,000 feet and scattered at 25,000 feet. Visibility was 7 statute miles. The winds were from 300 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The temperature was 7 degrees Celsius and the altimeter setting was 30.03" Hg.

An AIRMET was in effect for the route of flight for mountain obscuration and occasional moderate turbulence below 18,000 feet.

Communications

At 1821 the flight contacted McMinnville radio reporting that they were VFR (Visual Flight Rules) to Medford at 7,500 feet and approaching the Juniper MOA (Military Operating Area) east of Lakeview, Oregon. The pilot wanted to know current Medford weather and if there was activity in the MOA. The controller reported that there was no activity in the MOA. The 1756 automated weather in Medford was reporting the wind from 290 at seven knots. Visibility was 10 miles. The clouds were scattered at 7,000 feet and the temperature was 17 degrees Celsius. The altimeter setting was 30.02" Hg. The controller gave the pilot a pilot report from an aircraft in the area and the Klamath Falls altimeter was 30.00" Hg.

The pilot acknowledged this information. The controller asked the pilot if he had the AIRMET for mountain obscuration along their route and occasional moderate turbulence below 18,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged that they were getting "very little turbulence here at 7,500. It's clear and the temperature is 3 degrees Celsius." The controller asked the pilot his location, and the pilot responded that he was 75.8 nautical miles from Lakeview VOR on the 46 degree radial.

At 1932 the flight again contacted McMinnville radio reporting that they were VFR just north of Klamath Falls at 8,000 feet and were requesting the weather in Medford. The controller reported that the 1856 observation indicated the wind from 320 at seven knots. Visibility was 10 miles. The ceiling was 7,000 feet broken. The temperature was 16 degrees Celsius and dew point was 02 degrees. The altimeter was 30.04" Hg. The forecast through 2100 was for winds from 290 at eight knots. Visibilities were greater than six miles, with broken clouds at 7,000 feet.

The pilot acknowledged this information. The controller responded with the current Klamath Falls altimeter of 30.01" Hg, and asked the pilot for a pilot report over the Cascades. The pilot responded that it had been smooth coming up on Klamath Lake, and that he would let him know the conditions when they go over the mountains. The controller responded asking if the pilot had the Airmets for mountain obscuration. The pilot responded "That's affirmative we can also see em."

There were no further communications with the accident aircraft after 1934.

Wreckage and impact information

The wreckage was located on the northeast face of Mt. McLoughlin at an altitude of approximately 8,700 feet. The accident coordinates were 42 degrees 26.87' North / 122 degrees 18.74' West. The site was described by search and rescue personnel as a sheer cliff of loose lava rock. Snow covered the wreckage and surrounding terrain. The peak of Mt. McLoughlin is 9,495 feet. Due to the severity of the terrain conditions, only experienced mountain rescue personnel were on site. One of the rescue team members reported that the point of impact appeared to be on a rock face located about 100 feet above the main wreckage. The aircraft then slid down to its final resting point. The propeller was found between the point of impact and the main wreckage.

Aerial and ground photographs of the wreckage indicated that the aircraft was generally intact with both wings still attached at the wing roots. The cockpit area was severely compromised. The empennage remained in place with the vertical and horizontal stabilizers in place.

The wreckage was recovered from the accident site on October 5, 2002.

On October 10, 2002, the Nation