VFR into IMC · NTSB WPR15FA082
CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 — Tooele, UT
| Date | January 9, 2015 |
| Location | Tooele, UT |
| Aircraft | CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Unk |
| Phase / occurrence | Enroute Altitude deviation |
| Pilot age | 69 |
| Pilot total time | 692 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 40 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low visibility-Effect on personnel - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusion-Spatial disorientation-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Physical-Impairment/incapacitation-OTC medication-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
What happened
The noninstrument-rated private pilot departed during the late afternoon and flew over the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake. According to data recovered from the airplane's avionics system, which did not capture altitude, the duration of the flight was about 9 minutes. During the final minute of the flight, the airplane conducted a gradual left turn at an engine power setting of about 2,200 rpm. Shortly thereafter, the airplane impacted the lake. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Local meteorological observations indicated that restricted visibility and fog were forecast throughout the area about the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot encountered these conditions inflight and lost visual reference to the ground and/or horizon. Given the pilot's lack of an instrument rating and of recent instrument flight experience, the loss of visual reference likely resulted in spatial disorientation.
Toxicological testing on the pilot revealed the presence of bupropion, an antidepressant; hydrocodone, an opiod analgesic; and diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine. The investigation was unable to determine if the use of bupropion or the cognitive effects of any underlying depression contributed to the accident. Because the hydrocodone was found in the urine but not the blood, it no longer caused systemic effects and played no role in the accident. However, it is likely that the effects of diphenhydramine impaired the pilot's cognitive and psychomotor performance at the time of the accident, and contributed to his spatial disorientation.