NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 12, 2001, at 2319 eastern standard time (est), a Cessna 172K, N46628, piloted by a private pilot was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain near Martinsville, Indiana. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not on a flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated from the Sky King Airport (3I3), Terre Haute, Indiana, at about 2240 and was en route to the Greenwood Municipal Airport (HFY), Greenwood, Indiana.

The pilot had been in communication with air traffic control prior to the accident. At 2300:44, the pilot was given the weather conditions at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND), Indianapolis, Indiana. The air traffic controller said, "november four six six two eight tah indy altimeter three zero two seven ah we're showin ah visibility one quarter with freezing fog the scattered ceiling is at one hundred feet and broken at ah seven hundred feet our rvrs are all ah below eight hundred for the runways i'm not sure you want to come this direction." The destination airport, HFY, is located 11 nm and 119 degrees from IND.

Radar data for the time period beginning 2250 est to 2330 est was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration. The data was plotted on an aeronautical navigation chart. The plotted data shows the aircraft ground track from a position about 8.7 nautical miles (nm) and 90 degrees magnetic from 3I3 to the accident site. The data shows the aircraft on an east-northeast heading until about 2302 cst when the aircraft turned to a southeast and ultimately an easterly heading. The last recorded radar position was recorded at 2318:08.147 est. The last recorded radar position places the aircraft about 0.3 nm and 220 degrees from the accident site. The accident site position was found to be 39 degrees 29.30 minutes north latitude, 86 degrees 19.490 minutes west longitude.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot was the holder of a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating. The pilot did not have an instrument rating. According to a family member, the pilot had accumulated about 300 hours of pilot flight time. No pilot flight records were recovered. The pilot also held a third class aviation medical certificate issued on September 1, 1998. The medical certificate listed as a restriction that the pilot must wear corrective lenses.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Cessna model 172K, serial number 17257393. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine that was rated at 160 horsepower. A relative of the pilot reported that the aircraft had received an annual inspection on June 7, 2000 and had accumulated a total of 2,699 hours at the time of the inspection. The aircraft logbooks were not recovered.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Indianapolis International Airport weather reporting station recorded the weather at 2255 est as:

Wind - 020 degrees at 4 knots

Visibility - 1/4 mile

Weather condition - freezing fog

Sky condition - 100 foot indefinite ceiling

Temperature - minus 02 degrees Celsius

Dew point - minus 02 degrees Celsius

Altimeter setting 30.27 inches of mercury

The Indianapolis International Airport weather reporting station recorded the weather at 2321 est as:

Wind - 010 degrees at 4 knots

Visibility - 1/8 mile

Weather condition - freezing fog

Sky condition - 100 foot indefinite ceiling

Temperature - minus 02 degrees Celsius

Dew point - minus 02 degrees Celsius

Altimeter setting 30.27 inches of mercury

Witnesses in the area of the accident site reported foggy conditions on the night of the accident.

COMMUNICATIONS

The following is a synopsis of the communications between N46628 and the Terre Haute, Indiana, Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT). All times listed are est.

2248 - N46628 reported on approach frequency 125.45

2249 - Terre Haute approach responded.

2249 - N46628 told approach he was VFR off of Sky King (3I3) to Greenwood (HFY).

2249 - Approach had N46628 ident on 1200 code.

2249 - Approach radar identified N46628 and asked at what altitude he would be cruising.

2250 - N46628 responded 2200 feet.

2250 - Approach gave N46628 the altimeter and told him to maintain VFR, standby for squawk code.

2250 - N46628 acknowledged.

2250 - Approach issued N46628 code 4561.

2250 - N46628 acknowledged.

2259 - Approach instructed N46628 to contact Indianapolis Approach on frequency 119.05

2300 - N46628 acknowledged frequency change to Indianapolis.

The following communications were recorded between N46628 and the Indianapolis , Indiana, ATCT Approach Control position (DRE). All times listed are est.

2300:32 N46628 indianapolis approach cessna four six six two eight

2300:35 DRE cessna four six six two eight indy approach

2300:38 N46628 yes we're six two eight we're about thirty five miles to the west we're inbound for hotel foxtrot yankee

2300:44 DRE november four six six two eight tah indy altimeter three zero two seven ah we're showin ah visibility one quarter with freezing fog the scattered ceiling is at one hundred feet and broken at ah seven hundred feet our rvrs are all ah below eight hundred for the runways i'm not sure you want to come this direction

2301:13 N46628 okay i'll ah deviate to an alternate airport six two eight

2301:17 DRE November six two eight roger ah if it helps at all greencastle airports about ah eleven or twelve oclock and six miles

2301:26 N46628 ah okay six two eight thanks a lot have a good day

2303:13 DRE and november four six six two eight still with me

No further transmissions were received from N46628.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

A postaccident examination of the wreckage was conducted on January 13, 2001. The cockpit section was destroyed by fire. The remainder of the wreckage was fragmented and distributed along the wreckage path. The wreckage was oriented on an approximately 150 degree magnetic heading. All flight control surfaces were identified. Control system continuity could not be verified due to the amount of damage to the aircraft. All identified control cable breaks exhibited signatures consistent with overload. No anomalies were found with respect to the airframe that could be associated with a preexisting condition.

Several downed trees were found in the immediate area of the accident site. Several branches were found with diagonal cuts. A tree about 16 inches in diameter was found with a diagonal cut that penetrated about 4 inches deep into the center of the hollow trunk.

The engine was removed from the accident site and transported to a location where an examination could be made. The engine could be rotated by turning the propeller. Crankshaft and valve train continuity were established. Accessory gear continuity was established. Thumb compression was established on all cylinders. Both magneto cases were broken. The upper set of spark plugs was removed and no anomalies were noted. The carburetor was broken loose from its mount. The carburetor throttle arm was moved and a fluid consistent in odor to gasoline was sprayed from the accelerator pump nozzle. The carburetor was disassembled and a fluid was noted in the float bowl. No anomalies were found with respect to the engine or engine accessories that could be associated with a preexisting condition.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Indiana University Medical Center.

A Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident report was negative for all tests performed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Federal Aviation Administration, Textron Lycoming, and Cessna Aircraft were parties to the investigation.

The wreckage was released to a representative of the insurance company on January 16, 2001.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilots decision not to fly to the alternate airport, his decision to continue the flight in known adverse weather conditions, spatial disorientation by the pilot, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors were the low ceilings, the dark night, the fog, and the trees.