N1703

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn January 26, 2016, about 1754 eastern standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22T single engine airplane, N1703, impacted terrain during the turn to final approach to runway 25 at the Greene County - Lewis A. Jackson Regional Airport (I19), Xenia, Ohio. The pilot, who was the sole occupant and operator of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Weaver Aircraft LLC of Carmel, Indiana, and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed in the area during the approach and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1700 from the Indianapolis Executive Airport (TYQ), Indianapolis, Indiana, and I19 was its planned destination.

The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane to its home base of Xenia, Ohio, after having completed maintenance at a repair station. Information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed that the pilot filed an IFR flight plan from TYQ, flying at 9,000 ft enroute to I19. After a normal IFR flight from TYQ, the pilot contacted Middletown [Ohio] Radar Approach Control and reported having received the weather for I19. He then requested and was given clearance to fly the RNAV 7 instrument approach into I19.

The pilot was cleared from 9,000 ft to 3,000 ft. The Middletown Approach controller issued pilot reports for icing.

The pilot flew the RNAV approach to runway 7 tracking inbound to the airport on the published approach course of 068 degrees. About 5.8 miles from the airport, the pilot cancelled his IFR clearance and continued inbound under visual flight rules (VFR). His recorded altitude at that time was 2,700 ft. The pilot was then instructed to change to advisory frequency.

An airport employee, who witnessed the airplane flying on a downwind beneath the cloud base, stated that the airplane appeared to be setting up for a circling visual approach to runway 25. The airport employee was in proximity to the I19 Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) weather information screen. He reported that the screen showed a 1,700 ft cloud ceiling with wind from 240 degrees at 9 kts; gusting to 14 kts. Wind gusts were variable from 240 to 330 degrees.

Several other witnesses, who were in vehicles on roadways near the airport, reported that they saw the airplane flying low. It then entered a steep left bank and then nose-dived toward the ground into the trees.

There were no reported distress calls from the pilot during the flight and the pilot had normal communications with Air Traffic Control and ground personnel throughout the flight. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 33, held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine and multi-engine land, instrument airplane rating, and rotorcraft helicopter and instrument helicopter rating. Additionally, the pilot held a flight instructor certificate with ratings in single and multi-engine land, instrument airplanes and helicopters. According to the pilot's logbook, the pilot had recorded 2,075 total flying hours and 100 flying hours in the 90 days preceding the accident. Additionally, he recorded having 200 hours in the accident airplane and 80 hours in the accident airplane within the preceding 90 days. The pilot had successfully completed an instrument proficiency check flight on October 1, 2015.

The pilot held a valid first-class medical certificate dated May 9, 2015. The certificate showed no restrictions or limitations. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a Cirrus SR-22T. The five-place, low wing, single-engine airplane, serial number 0806, was manufactured in 2014, and had a standard airworthiness certificate classifying its operation in the normal category, dated June 23, 2014.

The airplane was powered by one Continental Motors, Incorporated TSIO-550-K1B fuel-injected and turbocharged 6-cylinder horizontally opposed reciprocating engine, serial number 1010320, rated at 315 horsepower at 2,600 rpm.

The airplane was equipped with a 3-blade Hartzell model PHC-J3Y1F-1RF constant-speed propeller, serial number NJ932B. The propeller was installed on June 2, 2014 at zero time.

According to the airplane's airframe logbook, the airplane underwent an annual inspection on September 18, 2015. The recorded tachometer and Hobbs times at the annual were 874.0 hours. A 50-hour inspection was performed on December 14, 2015. The airframe time at the 50-hour inspection was 1,198.1 hours. No other logbook entries followed. According to the engine logbook, a 50-hour inspection was performed on the engine in accordance with the Cirrus service manual and inspection checklist. The oil and filter were changed and engine operational and leak tests were performed satisfactorily. On January 19, 2016, an overhauled fuel pump was installed on the engine and the engine was ground run and checked satisfactory. No other logbook entries followed. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1732, the routine aviation weather report for I19 was wind 300 at 6 kts, ceiling 1,800 ft overcast, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 0 degrees Celsius (C), dew point -02 degrees C, and altimeter 30.13 inches Hg.

At 1658, the routine aviation weather report for Wright Paterson Air Force Base (FFO), Dayton, Ohio, 343-degrees at 9 nm from I19, was wind 240 degrees at 9 kts, ceiling 200 ft overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 01 degree Celsius (C), dew point -03 degrees C, altimeter 30.10 inches Hg, and remarks variable ceiling height 170 ft. to 220 ft.

At 1753, the routine aviation weather report for FFO was wind 250 at 11 kts, gusting to 17 kts, ceiling 190 ft overcast, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 0 degrees Celsius (C), dew point -04 degrees C, altimeter 30.12 inches Hg, and remarks sea level pressure 207 hPa.

The upper air balloon sounding from Wilmington, Ohio, 165 degrees at 18 miles from I19, taken at 1900 showed high icing potential within the cloud layers above the surface. The upper air balloon was released into air that was drier above 5,000 ft mean seal level (msl). However, the infrared satellite imagery from 1730 to 1815 showed cloud top temperatures of -12 C, which corresponded to cloud tops around 12,000 ft indicating the likelihood of moderate or greater icing along the airplane's route of flight until 1752 when the airplane descended below the cloud ceiling. However, with the surface temperature at freezing and no warm layer above that, any ice built up on the airplane would not have melted before reaching the ground.

The weather radar imagery showed no precipitation falling from aloft to the surface so cloud droplets remained in the air and in the clouds

The area forecast issued at 1345 and valid for the accident time called for broken ceilings at 3,000 ft msl with cloud tops as 12,000 ft msl and visibilities of 3 to 5 miles in freezing mist.

There were Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) issued at 1545 for instrument conditions, ceiling below 1,000 ft and/or visibilities below 3 miles in precipitation and/or mist, and for moderate icing conditions below 12,000 ft. The Center Weather Service Unit in Indianapolis Center issued a meteorological impact statement warning of occasional moderate rime and mixed icing between 2,000 and 5,000 ft msl.

Pilot reports received two hours prior to the accident and 1 hour after the accident showed for the area around I19, light and moderate rime to moderate mixed icing in the clouds below flight level 200.

A query of Lockheed Martin Flight Service and DUATS indicated the pilot did not contact either for weather or Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs). AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a Cirrus SR-22T. The five-place, low wing, single-engine airplane, serial number 0806, was manufactured in 2014, and had a standard airworthiness certificate classifying its operation in the normal category, dated June 23, 2014.

The airplane was powered by one Continental Motors, Incorporated TSIO-550-K1B fuel-injected and turbocharged 6-cylinder horizontally opposed reciprocating engine, serial number 1010320, rated at 315 horsepower at 2,600 rpm.

The airplane was equipped with a 3-blade Hartzell model PHC-J3Y1F-1RF constant-speed propeller, serial number NJ932B. The propeller was installed on June 2, 2014 at zero time.

According to the airplane's airframe logbook, the airplane underwent an annual inspection on September 18, 2015. The recorded tachometer and Hobbs times at the annual were 874.0 hours. A 50-hour inspection was performed on December 14, 2015. The airframe time at the 50-hour inspection was 1,198.1 hours. No other logbook entries followed. According to the engine logbook, a 50-hour inspection was performed on the engine in accordance with the Cirrus service manual and inspection checklist. The oil and filter were changed and engine operational and leak tests were performed satisfactorily. On January 19, 2016, an overhauled fuel pump was installed on the engine and the engine was ground run and checked satisfactory. No other logbook entries followed. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane wreckage was found in a lightly wooded ravine about 300 ft short of the runway 25 threshold, approximately on bearing with the runway. The airplane impacted in a nose down vertical attitude. Trees and brush immediately adjacent to the wreckage showed little damage.

The airplane was oriented on a 284-degree magnetic heading and was located at 39.693888 degrees North longitude, and -83.983611 West latitude, at an elevation of 932 ft msl. The entire airplane was confirmed to be in the in the vicinity of the initial ground impact.

The ground underneath the airplane's engine was pushed outward and up, consistent with it being the initial point of impact. The engine was twisted to the left and resting on its left si...