ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 223654
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| Date: | Sunday 31 March 2019 |
| Time: | 14:39 |
| Type: |  Cirrus SR22 GTS X G3 Turbo |
| Owner/operator: | Caseys Aircooled Engine LLC |
| Registration: | N173CT |
| MSN: | 2961 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2008 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1519 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-550-N (50B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Farmington, NM -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Cal Black Memorial Airport, UT (U96) |
| Big Spring-Webb AFB, TX (BGS/KBPG) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The noninstrument-rated pilot departed on a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight. About 25 minutes after takeoff, the airplane reached its highest altitude of 17,300 ft mean sea level (msl) and was approaching a line of precipitation and thunderstorms. About 20 minutes later, the airplane entered a descent at a rate of about 1,000 ft per minute. The airplane then leveled off at an altitude of about 8,575 ft msl (about 3,000 ft above ground level), about 1,000 ft below the predicted cloud base, and a short time later, the airplane transitioned to a right descending turn that continued until ground contact, reaching a descent rate of about 5,175 ft per minute. The debris field and fragmentation of the airplane was consistent with a high-speed, right-wing-low impact. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and there was no evidence of an inflight breakup. The airplane’s airframe parachute system was not deployed.
Analysis of weather information indicated that the airplane likely encountered a line of developing and expanding rain showers, with updraft and downdraft conditions, precipitation, and reduced visibility as the pilot likely descended to fly under the cloud bases. Due to the developing and expanding rain shower line, outflow boundaries and low-level wind shear conditions were likely present in the area at the accident time.
A convective SIGMET as well as AIRMETs for instrument flight rules conditions, mountain obscuration, and moderate icing were valid for the route of flight and in the area of the accident site at the accident time. When activating his flight plan, the pilot indicated to the weather briefer that he was aware of the AIRMETs; however, whether he was aware of the SIGMET was not determined based on the available information.
Although the pilot did not receive an official weather briefing, records suggest that he downloaded weather imagery three days before the flight. He had an active subscription to a commercial satellite weather service for the airplane, which was also equipped with multiple avionics devices capable of receiving and displaying weather information. Whether or to what extent the pilot accessed weather imagery in-flight could not be determined.
The reduced visibility and the pilot’s lack of experience in flight by reference to instruments provided conditions conducive to the development of spatial disorientation, and the airplane’s descending turn, rapid descent, and high-speed impact with the ground were consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation. Given the available information, it is likely that the noninstrument-rated pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions as he continued toward and subsequently attempted to fly below an area of rain shower and thunderstorm activity, and experienced spatial disorientation that resulted in a loss of airplane control.
Probable Cause: The noninstrument-rated pilot's continued visual flight rules flight into an area of forecast instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/state-police-are-investigating-a-downed-aircraft-outside-of-farmington/5299264/
https://www.cbs7.com/content/news/State-police-are-investigating-a-downed-aircraft-outside-of-Farmington-507930031.html
https://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Texas-man-dies-in-plane-crash-in-New-Mexico-507953001.html
https://www.abqjournal.com/1298637/nmsp-pilot-dead-in-nw-new-mexico-plane-crash.html
FAA
https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N173CT
https://flightaware.com/photos/view/5023172-be79fd060739e0bb6a90a430f60c532ed0ec351e/aircrafttype/SR22
NTSB
Location
Images:
Photos(c): NTSB
Media:
The NTSB is investigating the crash Sunday of a Cirrus SR22 near Farmington, New Mexico.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) 1 avril 2019
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Apr-2019 12:30 | gerard57 | Added |
| 01-Apr-2019 13:04 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Source] |
| 01-Apr-2019 15:31 | gerard57 | Updated [Destination airport, Source] |
| 01-Apr-2019 19:03 | Captain Adam | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Apr-2019 20:22 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Embed code] |
| 01-Apr-2019 20:24 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 01-Apr-2019 20:50 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Destination airport, Source] |
| 01-Apr-2019 21:51 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 02-Apr-2019 07:26 | Aerossurance | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 11-Oct-2020 09:32 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport, Source] |
| 13-Mar-2022 03:46 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, Photo] |
| 13-Mar-2022 03:46 | Captain Adam | Updated [Photo] |
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