NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 29, 2013, about 0750 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182E airplane, N3087Y, impacted terrain near Delta, Colorado. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to Ray Veatsch Agency Inc. and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Blake Field Airport (KAJZ), Delta, Colorado at 0748 and was destined for Crawford Airport (99V), Crawford, Colorado.

The student pilot scheduled his private pilot practical test with a designated examiner (DE) located at 99V, about 20 nautical miles east of KAJZ. According to the DE, the student pilot called him on the morning of the accident and informed him there was a cloud deck at KAJZ. The DE told the student pilot the cloud deck was likely a thin layer that would burn off and to fly to 99V after the weather cleared up.

An airport surveillance camera captured the accident airplane departing from Runway 3 at KAJZ. No witnesses observed the accident.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The student pilot, age 36, had accumulated a total of 98 flight hours, including 63 hours with a flight instructor and 6.4 hours during the three days preceding the accident. All of the student's recorded flight time was in the accident airplane. The student's recorded simulated instrument flight time was 0.6 hours. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires 3 hours of simulated instrument flight training prior to the private pilot practical test.

On September 21, 2011, the student pilot was issued a Class 3 medical and student pilot certificate, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses. No significant issues were identified by the pilot or aviation medical examiner during this examination.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane was manufactured in 1962 and registered with the FAA on a standard airworthiness certificate. The logbooks showed a total of 6,347 hours as of the last annual inspection, which was conducted on November 12, 2012.

The airplane was equipped with a Continental Motors O-470-R engine (serial number 131740-5-R), which had accumulated a total of 2,895 hours as of the last annual inspection and 1,853 hours since last major overhaul. The propeller was installed on September 1, 2000, with no maintenance entries in the propeller log since installation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The weather observation station at KAJZ reported the following conditions at 0755: wind calm, visibility 4 miles, overcast clouds at 600 feet, temperature 0 degrees Celsius (C), dew point negative 1 degrees C, altimeter setting 30.39.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane impacted about two miles off the departure end of Runway 3 on the extended runway centerline. The initial impact point included ground impressions from all three landing gear and was 440 feet from the furthest piece of wreckage. The debris path was oriented on a 340 degree heading.

The engine and wings separated from the fuselage. The fuselage was broken into three large sections; the instrument panel with forward floor assembly, the aft seats with floor assembly, and the empennage. The fuselage sections remained loosely connected via the flight control cables. The engine came to rest 60 feet in front of the fuselage. Control cable continuity was established for all flight control surfaces through tension overload separations in the front door posts and at the wing roots.

Both propeller blades displayed twisting, S-bending deformation, and chordwise scratches. The sparkplugs exhibited normal wear when compared to the Champion Aviation Check a Plug Chart AV-27 and both magnetos were capable of producing spark. The crankshaft was rotated by hand and thumb compression was established on all cylinders. Drive train continuity was established throughout the engine. The cylinders were borescope inspected and no anomalies were noted. The oil filter element was inspected, with no contaminates noted.

Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

On December 2, 2013, an autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Montrose Memorial Hospital, Montrose, Colorado. The examination determined the cause of death to be due to multiple traumatic injuries. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed a toxicology test on the pilot. The test was negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol and drugs, with the exception of Acetaminophen (Tylenol).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The flight instructor (CFI) who flew most of the student's training flights characterized him as having very high achieving and performance traits. He thought the student had a "go-go-go" type personality and led a fast-paced life, due to a hectic schedule managing a telecommunications business. He was aware that his student was an accomplished motorcycle racer and avid motorcycle enthusiast.

The CFI stated the student intended to utilize the accident airplane to accomplish trips in support of his telecommunications business and was concerned that he might try to "push too hard" with respect to weather conditions, fatigue, or airplane maintenance to accomplish a business trip. He attempted to instruct the student on "not getting over his head" with respect to flight conditions.

As the annual inspection on the accident airplane approached expiration, the CFI told the student that the timeline for the flight practical should not be controlled by the expiration of the annual inspection. Following the accident, the CFI learned that the pilot was under additional personal and business stressors.

During preparation for the private pilot practical, the student recorded 0.6 hours of simulated instrument flight time with a vision restricting device. The CFI stated he never flew with the accident pilot in actual instrument meteorological conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot’s decision to attempt flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control and ground impact.