N869CD

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 17, 2007, at 2021 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SR20, N869CD registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight deployed the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) after encountering instrument flight conditions (IFR) while descending to land at Nantucket Memorial Airport, Nantucket, Massachusetts. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed however a full weather briefing was obtained before departing on the visual flight rules flight. The airplane received substantial damage. The non-instrument rated private pilot received serious injuries and one passenger received minor injuries. The flight originated from Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York, on August 17, 2007, at 1901.

The Nantucket Tower controller stated the pilot established initial radio contact at 2010. The controller informed the pilot to continue for runway 24 and pointed out traffic. The pilot reported at 2012 that he had the traffic in sight. At 2013, the controller received a PIREP of a " low layer forming above the approach to runway 24." The controller advised the pilot at 2014 that the airport was going IFR, and switched the pilot to Cape Approach. The pilot informed the controller that he was capable of executing the instrument landing system (ILS) approach.

Review of transcripts between the pilot and Cape Approach revealed the pilot made initial radio contact at 2015, and requested the ILS runway 24 approach at Nantucket. Cape Approach asked the pilot for his current heading and the pilot replied 150. The controller informed the pilot to continue on the heading and expect a left downwind for the ILS approach. The pilot asked the controller if he wanted him to climb, and the controller suggested 2,000 feet, and the pilot acknowledged the altitude.

The controller stated at 2016: 43, "November nine charlie delta confirm that you are IFR equipped and qualified." The pilot replied, " Nine Charlie delta we are uh IFR qualified." At 2016: 50, the controller instructed the pilot to climb and maintain 2,000 feet and to turn left heading 090. The pilot replied, "Nine Charlie delta two thousand turning right two nine zero." The controller replied at 2017:03, "November nine Charlie delta roger you're cleared to Nantucket via heading uh zero seven zero climb and maintain two thousand." The pilot replied, "Nine Charlie delta right uh zero seven zero at two thousand." The controller replied at 2017:54, "November nine Charlie delta turn left heading zero six zero expect the ILS approach runway two four advise with new ATIS kilo." The pilot replied, "Nine charlie delta turning right to zero six zero we will pick up kilo." The controller stated at 2018:06, "Nine charlie delta that's not a right turn sir should be a left turn left turn heading uh zero six zero looks like you went right on the last turn so just turn left a gradual left turn to zero six zero." The pilot replied, nine charlie delta a gradual left turn to zero six zero. At 2019:37 the controller asked the pilot to say his type of aircraft. The pilot replied at 2019:39, "Cirrus I had to pull the parachute." The controller replied, November nine charlie delta are you able to make it to the airport sir. The pilot stated, "No the parachute on the plane its going to come down." The controller replied at 2020:02, "November nine charlie delta roger low altitude alert check your altitude immediately and uh advise if you need any further assistance it appears that you are over land at this time." There were no other radio transmissions between the pilot and the controller.

The pilot told the NTSB investigator during an interview that he informed the controller that he was instrument-qualified because he was getting concerned. His wife was six months pregnant and he feared they would end up in the water. The pilot stated he was struggling to keep the airplane level; he was in instrument conditions in a black hole with out a visible horizon or ambient light. The pilot further stated, "I became spatially disoriented and pulled the chute." When the pilot was asked if there was anything mechanically wrong with the airplane or the flight instruments, the pilot stated no.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate on April 12, 2004, with ratings for airplane single engine land. The pilot did not have an instrument rating. The pilot's last biennial flight review was conducted on March 25, 2007, in the SR20. The pilot held a third-class medical issued on April 24, 2007, with the restriction "must wear corrective lenses." The pilot indicated on his application for the third-class medical certificate he has 500 total flight hours.

Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that the pilot has 454.6 total flight hours of which 285.3 hours are in the SR20, and 245.5 hours are as pilot-in-command (PIC). The pilot's first flight in the SR20 was on April 16, 2004. The pilot had 34 hours of dual actual instrument flight time, and the last recorded dual instrument flight was on August 10, 2007. The pilot had 66.2 hours of simulated instrument time, and the last simulated instrument flight was conducted on July 25, 2007. The pilot had 40.6 hours of night flight time, and the last recorded dual night flight was on July 25, 2007. The pilot had flown 26.9 hours in the last 90 days, of which 0.2 hours were night dual flight, 1.5 hours of dual instrument flight, and 6.1 hours of dual simulated instrument flight. The pilot had flown 11.9 hours in the last 30 days, of which 0.2 hours were night dual flight, 1.5 hours of actual dual instruments, and 1.5 hours of dual simulated instruments. The pilot attended the Cirrus factory-training course from April 17, 2004 through April 18, 2004. The pilot received 7 hours of ground instruction, and 13.4 hours of dual flight instruction.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Review of the airplane logbooks revealed the last recorded annual inspection was conducted on January 12, 2007, and the Hobbs time was 330.3 hours. The Hobbs meter at the crash site read 370.5 hours and the airplane has flown 140.2 hours since the last annual inspection. The altimeter, encoder, and static system test were conducted on February 1, 2006. The pilot purchased 35 gallons of 100-low lead fuel at West Air, White Plains, New York, on August 11, 2007, seven days before the accident.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Nantucket Memorial Airport 1953 surface weather observation was: wind 220-degrees at 7 knots, visibility 6 statute miles, clear, temperature 68-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 62-degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 29.82.

A Special weather observation was issued at 2018. The wind was 220-degrees at 8 knots, visibility 1 statute mile in light rain and mist, vertical visibility 100 feet, temperature 68-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 66-degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 29.82. Remarks: automated observation, rain began 2017, hourly precipitation less than 0.01 inches. Three special weather observations were issued at 2025, 2045, and 2050.

Review of the US Naval Observatory Sun and Moon Data for Nantucket County Memorial Airport at the time of the accident revealed a, " waxing crescent with 20-percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated.

The pilot of N869D obtained a full weather briefing at 1135, for the VFR flight from Westchester to Nantucket. The pilot obtained a follow up weather briefing before departing Westchester County Airport at 1816. The briefer informed the pilot that the first batch of storms went through New York, and dissipated with some rain, " but if you take off at this point uh nothing but a little light rain on the route." The pilot did not receive updated weather while en-route to Nantucket.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in the vicinity of a United States Coast Guard loran signal tower adjacent to a residence in Siassconset Massachusetts, and 5 miles southeast of the Nantucket Memorial Airport. The airplane collided with a guy wire supporting the 650-foot tall loran signal tower on a heading of 040-degrees magnetic. Two pieces of parachute material were observed entangled on one of the loran guy wires. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 323-degrees magnetic.

The upper and lower engine cowling was partially separated from the airframe. The engine assembly was partially separated from the firewall and displaced to the left about 20-degrees. Both upper engine mount welds separated between the firewall bolt attachment points and the first welded joint along the steel tubing. The lower two engine mounts remained attached to the firewall. The lower left section of the firewall was displaced aft, and the lower right side of the firewall was displaced in the forward direction and to the left. All engine accessories remained attached to the engine except for the starter, No. 2 alternator and right magneto. The fuel supply line to the fuel distribution manifold was disconnected and fuel was present in the fuel line. The nose wheel assembly separated from the nose landing gear strut at the fishmouth. The nose wheel was located in a 5-inch hole 7-feet in front of the wreckage.

The engine was equipped with an engine monitoring system. The primary flight display (PFD) and the internal compact flash memory module from the multi-function display (MFD) were removed and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for further examination. Examination revealed the PFD and the MFD memory card were not damaged. A binary copy of the memory card was made in the NTSB laboratory, and the copy was read out using a bench MFD. The PFD was connected to a bench MFD and downloaded. The raw PFD download file was sent to the manufacturer for decoding into ASCII text. The decoded file was so...