N210HM

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 7, 2008, at 1226 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built RV-10, N210HM, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain in Seale, Alabama, following a missed approach to Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG), Columbus, Georgia. The certificated private pilot, and the pilot rated passenger/builder were killed. The flight originated from Lebanon Municipal Airport, Lebanon, Tennessee. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to relatives of the pilot, the reason for the flight was to visit the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In located in Lakeland, Florida.

A handheld global positioning system (GPS), Garmin GPSMAP 196, was recovered from the airplane. The GPS unit was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Office of Research and Engineering for data extraction. The GPS data, along with voice communication data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), revealed that the pilot established communications with Atlanta Approach at 1148, while flying the airplane at an altitude 9,300 feet, and requested a very high frequency omnidirectional radio range (VOR) runway 18 approach to Weedon Field Airport (EUF), Eufaula, Alabama. The flight continued on a track of 173 degrees for approximately 13 minutes until it was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet by the controller. The controller then cleared the airplane for the approach about 20 miles north of the airport. The pilot then explained to the controller, "We may, I think we are going to fly the whole approach here, I think we'll let you know when[unreadable]." The airplane then began a descending right turn to a track of 090 degrees and the pilot further stated, "We're going to have to come up with an alternate plan here."

The pilot then requested, and was provided, vectors to Auburn-Opelika Airport (AUO), Auburn, Alabama. While en-route to AUO, he amended his request and asked for vectors to CSG, stating that he required an airport with an instrument landing system (ILS) approach. The controller subsequently provided vectors, followed by an ILS approach clearance to runway 6 at CSG. Shortly after receiving the clearance, the airplane flew past the ILS localizer path. The controller then received a low altitude alert and relayed this to the pilot. The pilot responded, 'We're correcting altitude here, and we flew through the ILS.' The controller then cancelled the approach clearance and requested that he climb to 3,000 feet, and turn right to 270 degrees. The pilot then stated, "Do you have any location that the weather is 2,000 feet or better?" The controller responded that the pilot could consider checking the weather at AUO, to which the pilot responded, "Okay we'll do that." Over the next 17 seconds the airplane began a descending right turn from an altitude of 2,694 feet to 1,330 feet. The airplane then began a climbing right turn, and within 15 seconds reached an altitude of 2,770 feet. The last recorded GPS track occurred at 1226:41 and was observed at an altitude of 2,148 feet. The wreckage was located at an elevation of 270 feet, about 400 feet east of the location where the final GPS track was recorded.

The airplane deviated approximately 400 feet above its assigned altitude, and 1,200 feet below, on multiple occasions throughout the last 14 minutes of the flight. The controller twice relayed low altitude alert warnings to the pilot, and on five occasions alerted him that he was not maintaining the assigned heading. The pilot did not declare an emergency to the controller at any point during their communications.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Investigators were unable to determine the seating location of the pilots in the airplane.

Pilot

The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot's most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued September, 2006, with the limitation that he wear lenses for near and distant vision. Review of his pilot logbooks revealed that as of March 22, 2008 he had accumulated about 1770 total hours of flight experience, which included about 358 hours in actual instrument conditions.

According to the logbook, the pilot accumulated 6.4 hours of total flight experience in instrument conditions for the 6 months preceding the accident. During that time he performed three instrument approaches in instrument meteorological conditions, and one practice instrument approach in visual meteorological conditions. The logbook entry did not display a notation stating that the practice approach was performed under the supervision of a safety pilot. The pilot's logbook records further indicated that since June 2000, he had logged about 130 flight hours in his personal airplane, N19419 in simulated and instrument flight conditions. This airplane was a 1976 Cessna 177B, equipped with conventional cockpit instruments.

Passenger/Builder

The pilot rated passenger/builder, age 64, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, and the limitation of night flying prohibited. He did not possess an instrument rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued January 3, 2008, with the limitation that the certificate was only valid for 12 months, and that he wear lenses for near vision. Review of his pilot logbooks revealed that he had accumulated about 526 total hours of flight experience, 68 hours of which were in the accident airplane. In the 90 days prior to the accident, the logbook indicated 5.2 hours of total flight time, all of which was flown in the accident airplane. A flight review was conducted in the accident airplane on February 9, 2007, and included 0.3 hours of simulated instrument training.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear amateur built airplane, was issued a special airworthiness certificate in January 2007. A review of the airplane's flight and maintenance logbooks revealed it had accrued a total time in service of 75 hours prior to the accident flight. The last conditional inspection occurred on February 1, 2008, at a total flight time of 71 hours. The Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 engine had accumulated a total time in service of 2,287 hours. The engine had accrued 75 flight hours since the most recent major overhaul which was completed in 2007. Pitot static, altimeter, and transponder inspections were accomplished on February 26, 2007, and a VOR check was completed on the day prior to the accident.

The airplane was equipped with a liquid crystal display avionics suite, in a configuration commonly referred to as a, 'glass cockpit.' The equipment included a Dynon Avionics Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) E10-A, two Grand Rapids Technologies Incorporated (GRT) EFIS Horizon Series 1 Multifunction Displays, and a GRT Engine Information System. Navigation and communication functions were supported with a single Garmin/Apollo SL30 Transceiver.

The airplane was not equipped with any vacuum operated or analog flight instruments.

A flight logbook located onboard the airplane indicated that prior to departing on the accident flight, the airplane was serviced with 13.6 gallons of fuel, bringing the total fuel on board to 61 gallons.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest official weather observation station was Lawson Army Airfield (LSF), Fort Benning, Georgia, located 9.5 miles southeast of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 232 feet msl. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for LSF was issued at 1227. It stated: winds variable at 3 knots; visibility 9 miles; skies 1,000 feet overcast; temperature 18 degrees Celsius; dew point 17 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.05 inches of mercury.

A METAR for CSG, which was located 16 miles northeast of the accident site, was issued at 1251. It stated: winds from 100 degrees at 9 knots; visibility 8 miles; skies 1,000 feet overcast; temperature 18 degrees Celsius; dew point 14 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.05 inches of mercury. The weather observation station was located at an elevation of 397 feet msl.

An aviation routine weather report for AUO, which was located 23 miles northwest of the accident site, was issued at 1235. It stated: winds from 090 degrees at 9 knots; visibility 10 miles; skies 1,200 feet overcast; temperature 18 degrees Celsius; dew point 14 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury. The weather observation station was located at an elevation of 777 feet msl.

The Geostationary Operations Environmental Satellite number 12 (GOES-12) data was obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The GOES-12 visible satellite imagery depicted an area of low stratiform and stratocumulus clouds extending over the region. The radiative cloud top temperature over the accident site was 283.80 degrees Kelvin (K) or 10.64 degrees Celsius (C), which corresponded to cloud tops near 4,500 feet msl.

The NOAA surface analysis chart issued at 1237, depicted a stationary front covering southern Georgia and the eastern region of Alabama.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane was examined at the accident site on April 8, 2008. There was a strong odor of fuel, and all airplane components were accounted for at the scene. The wreckage path was approximately 440 feet long, and oriented about 150 degrees magnetic. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was in treetops about 80 feet above the flat, wooded terrain. Several pieces of angularly cut wood were scattered along the wreckage path.

The airplane was fragmented along the entire wreckage path. Control continuity was established from the rudder to the foot pedals. Control continuity of the remaining components could not be confirmed due to extensive push rod fracturing. The cockpit and cabin area came to rest about ...