VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN10FA114
BEECH A36 — Winslow, AR
| Date | February 6, 2010 |
| Location | Winslow, AR |
| Aircraft | BEECH A36 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach-IFR initial approach Other weather encounter |
| Pilot age | 46 |
| Pilot total time | 363 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 4 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Clouds-Ability to respond/compensate
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusio-Spatial disorientation-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
What happened
Before being vectored for an instrument approach to the destination airport, the airplane was in visual meteorological conditions above a layer of clouds where earlier reports indicated icing conditions. During the descent, and as the airplane approached the initial fix for the approach, the airplane entered instrument meteorological conditions. Air traffic control communications and radar data indicated that the airplane flew past the initial fix and through the approach course after the air traffic controller instructed the pilot to intercept the approach course. The airplane turned right toward, and again through the approach course, followed by an additional and larger heading correction to the left and through the approach course. The airplane then flew an increasingly erratic flightpath until it disappeared from radar. The applicable Pilot's Operating Handbook and Federal Aviation Administration-approved Airplane Flight Manual indicated that flight in icing conditions was prohibited. The challenging visibility conditions and the airplane's flight track were conducive to the onset of pilot spatial disorientation.