VFR into IMC · NTSB ERA14FA044
FOCKE-WULF FWP 149D — Kenansville, NC
| Date | November 17, 2013 |
| Location | Kenansville, NC |
| Aircraft | FOCKE-WULF FWP 149D |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night/Dark · Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Approach Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 37 |
| Pilot total time | 743 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 695 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Fog-Effect on operation
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Personality/attitude-Motivation/respond to pressure-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Mental/emotional state-Stress-Pilot
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low ceiling-Effect on operation
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low visibility-Effect on operation
What happened
According to the pilot's wife, the pilot departed on a cross-country flight to attend a friend's funeral. He told her that he intended to stop to purchase fuel at an airport 20 miles from the departure airport. Although she reported that the pilot had indicated to her the night before the accident that he was concerned about a cold front that was moving in, it could not be determined whether he consulted any weather resources before the flight, and there was no record that he obtained an official preflight weather briefing. The pilot departed without filing an instrument flight rules flight plan for the flight; instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time of departure.
A witness at the departure airport reported that he observed an airplane taxiing and heard it depart and that the weather at the time was very foggy. A review of air traffic control radar data showed the airplane 1 mile north of the departure airport tracking northwest toward the intended fuel stop destination, and the last radar target was 8 miles northwest of the departure airport. The airplane's wreckage was located in a wooded area resting nose-down at the base of a tree 1/2 mile from the destination airport. All flight control surfaces and major components were located at the accident site. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The reported weather conditions at both airports about the time of the accident included low ceilings and low visibility; fog was reported at the destination airport, and the departure airport had been reporting overcast ceilings at 200 ft above ground level for several hours before the flight departed. It is likely that the pilot placed pressure upon himself to make the flight because he was going to attend his friend's funeral.