VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN14FA047
BEECHCRAFT B36TC — Amarillo, TX
| Date | November 11, 2013 |
| Location | Amarillo, TX |
| Aircraft | BEECHCRAFT B36TC |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night/Dark · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 48 |
| Pilot total time | 410 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 25 hrs |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total instrument experience-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusion-Spatial disorientation-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Light condition-Dark-Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low visibility-Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Fog-Effect on personnel
What happened
The noninstrument-rated private pilot filed an instrument flight plan to an airport that was reporting night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which included ¼-mile visibility, fog, sky obscuration, and 100-foot vertical visibility. Radar track data showed that, upon arrival at the airport, the pilot flew the instrument lighting system approach and then attempted to execute a missed approach. During the missed approach, radar contact was lost and the airplane impacted the terrain. The postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot's toxicology report indicated that gabapentin and duloxetine were found in the pilot's system, and both are disqualifying drugs for flight. The pilot did not report either of these disqualifying medications on his last medical certification examination. While both medications are sedating, a witness reported that the pilot was alert and energetic before the flight and showed no signs of sedation. Witness reports and findings from the wreckage examination are consistent with a loss of control event, and, based on the degraded visual reference conditions present about the time of the accident, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation. Although it could not be determined what effect the use of the medications had on the pilot's performance during the high-workload IMC flight, their use could increase the chance of experiencing and responding inappropriately to spatial disorientation.