VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN15FA027
CESSNA T210M — Bay City, WI
| Date | October 24, 2014 |
| Location | Bay City, WI |
| Aircraft | CESSNA T210M |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Enroute VFR encounter with IMC |
| Pilot age | 73 |
| Pilot total time | 207 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 86 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Below VFR minima-Effect on personnel - C
What happened
The non-instrument rated pilot departed on a cross-country flight. When the airplane was reported overdue by family members, a search was initiated, and the airplane wreckage was located about 3 miles from a regional airport. Witnesses reported seeing an airplane maneuvering near the airport about the time of the accident; one witness reported it was in a steep bank. That witness reported the weather as "murky" with a low overcast sky and an estimated visibility of 3 miles; another witness reported there was a light breeze and drizzle. The automated weather reporting station at the airport recorded a 900-ft overcast ceiling and 5 miles visibility in mist. Additionally, weather reports and forecasts along the route of flight included overcast clouds and instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions. There was no record of the pilot obtaining a weather briefing for the flight. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. It is likely that the pilot entered IFR conditions on approach to the airport, was unable to maintain visual references, and subsequently lost control of the airplane.