NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 17, 2015, about 1240 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182Q single-engine airplane, N735KF, was destroyed after impacting mountainous terrain while maneuvering near El Paso, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Brentco Aerial Patrols, Inc, Canton, Ohio. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight. The airplane departed from a private airstrip near Hobbs, New Mexico, at an unknown time, and was destined for the El Paso International Airport (ELP), El Paso, Texas.

According to company representatives, the airplane departed Snyder, Texas, approximately 0755, to perform a pipeline patrol aerial observation flight with a final destination of ELP. At 1056, the company dispatcher received a telephone call from the pilot who requested weather information for the southeast New Mexico and El Paso areas. The dispatcher informed the pilot that El Paso was reporting light rain. The pilot told the dispatcher he was going to depart, and "if he was going to make it, he had better get into the air."

Radar data showed the accident airplane about 30 miles northeast of ELP and traveling southwest at an altitude of approximately 6,000 feet mean sea level (msl). About 25 miles northeast of ELP at an altitude of 5,850 feet msl, the airplane was observed to make a left turn towards the south and then execute a right turn back toward the north. After maneuvering to the north for approximately 2 miles, the airplane made a left turn at an altitude of 6,150 feet msl toward the west and radar contact was lost.

After company personnel determined the airplane had not arrived at ELP, a search ensued with local authorities. The airplane wreckage was located by local authorities in mountainous terrain near the last radar contact about 0900 on March 18, 2015.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 70, held a commercial pilot certificate, with airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument ratings. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate was issued on February 4, 2015, with a time limitation of "Not valid for any class after 11/30/2015" and "Must have available glasses for near vision."

According to the company, the pilot had accumulated 13,274 total flight hours, and 4,800 hours in the accident airplane make and model. The pilot successfully completed a company flight review on November 7, 2014.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane was a 1977 Cessna 182Q, serial number 18265479. The airplane was powered by a Continental O-470-U reciprocating engine and a McCauley controllable pitch propeller. The airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on March 10, 1977.

According to the company, the airplane underwent its most recent annual inspection on December 2, 2014, at a total airframe time of 15,742 hours and a total engine time of 837 hours since major overhaul.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The pilot did not receive an official weather briefing from Lockheed Martin Flight Service or any other official source. Prior to the flight, the pilot had a conversation about weather with the company dispatcher.

McGregor Range Base Camp (M63) was the closest official weather station to the accident site and had an automated weather observing system (AWOS) whose reports were not supplemented. M63 was located 11 miles west-northwest of the accident site at an elevation of 4,209 feet.

M63 weather at 1230 was reported as wind from 010 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots, 6 miles visibility, light rain, few clouds at 1,300 feet above ground level (agl), scattered clouds at 2,000 feet agl, a broken ceiling at 2,900 feet agl, broken skies at 3,700 feet agl, temperature of 13 degrees C, dew point temperature of 11 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.14 inches of mercury.

M63 weather at 1256 was reported as wind from 010 degrees at 10 knots, 10 miles visibility, light rain, few clouds at 1,400 feet agl, a broken ceiling at 2,400 feet agl, broken skies at 2,900 feet agl, temperature of 13 degrees C, dew point temperature of 10 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.14 inches of mercury.

El Paso International Airport (ELP) was located 4 miles northeast of El Paso, Texas, and had an automated surface observing system (ASOS), whose reports were supplemented by a human observer. ELP was located approximately 22 miles west-southwest of the accident site, at an elevation of 3,962 feet.

ELP weather at 1151 was reported as wind from 140 degrees at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, light rain, few clouds at 2,700 feet agl, broken ceiling at 4,000 feet agl, overcast skies at 5,500 feet agl, temperature of 16 degrees C, dew point temperature of 10 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.14 inches of mercury. Remarks: automated station with a precipitation discriminator, rain ended at 1114, rain began at 1147, sea level pressure 1015.8 hPa, occasional clouds topping mountains west through northwest, one-hourly precipitation of a trace, 6 hourly precipitation of 0.01 inches, temperature 16.1 degrees C, dew point temperature 10.0 degrees C, 6-hourly maximum temperature of 16.7 degrees C, 6-hourly minimum temperature of 15.6 degrees C, 3-hourly pressure increase of 0.3 hPa.

ELP weather at 1251 reported the wind from 090 degrees at 12 knots, visibility 7 miles, light rain, few clouds at 2,700 feet agl, broken clouds at 3,000 feet agl, sky overcast at 3,800 feet agl, temperature 16 degrees C, dew point 12 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of mercury.

The observations from M63 and ELP indicated ceilings were likely between 6,000 and 8,000 feet msl around the time of the accident with light rain moving across the area and a gusty north to east surface wind. This was consistent with a cold front moving southward across the area at the accident time. In addition, the ELP observations indicated clouds topping and obscuring the mountainous terrain to the southwest through northwest of ELP. The mountains to the east of ELP were too far away to be included in the ELP observations, however, with clouds obscuring mountains and topping mountains to the west of ELP it was likely that the mountains and terrain near the accident site were also obscured due to clouds and precipitation at the accident time.

Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMETs) Sierra and Zulu were issued at 0845, with an update to AIRMET Sierra at 1215, and valid at the accident time for the accident site for below 15,000 feet msl. They forecasted mountains obscured by clouds and precipitation, ceiling below 1,000 feet agl with visibility below 3 miles in precipitation and mist, moderate icing between 12,000 feet and flight level 260, and moderate icing between 10,000 feet and flight level 210.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane wreckage was located in rocky, mountainous terrain at a measured elevation of about 6,195 feet msl. The airplane was fragmented and debris was scattered in a diameter of about 300 feet. The main wreckage consisted of the empennage, aft fuselage, left wing and engine. A postaccident fire consumed a majority of the fuselage, left and right wings, and empennage. Several small trees and vegetation displayed cut limbs in a pattern consistent with the airplane impacting in a slightly left wing low attitude.

The left wing, destroyed by thermal and impact damage, was separated from the fuselage. The flap and aileron were destroyed and remained partially attached to the wing. The right wing was separated from the fuselage and found fragmented and embedded within large rocks in the mountainous terrain. The flap and aileron were destroyed and remained partially attached to the wing.

The forward fuselage was fragmented and located within the debris field and displayed multiple areas of thermal damage. The cockpit and instrument panel were destroyed. The tachometer faceplate displayed a tachometer reading of 0711.0 hours, and the RPM indicating needle was captured at 2,400 RPM, which was at the end of the green arc and red line. The left and right cabin doors were separated and crushed with their respective locking pins engaged. One seat frame was located in the debris field and displayed thermal damage to the frame and seat cushion material. The three landing gear assemblies and tires were separated and located in the debris field.

The empennage remained attached to the aft fuselage. The left and right horizontal stabilizers were crushed and displayed thermal damage. The elevators remained attached to their respective horizontal stabilizers. The vertical stabilizer remained attached to the empennage and displayed minor crush damage. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer.

Flight control continuity was partially established to all flight control surfaces. Several of the flight control system components were destroyed by thermal and impact damage. The flap position could not be determined due to thermal damage.

The engine came to rest near the main wreckage. The number 1, 3, and 5 cylinders were separated from the engine. The number 6 cylinder head was separated from the remaining cylinder. The forward portion of the crankcase was fragmented. Both magnetos were separated from the engine and located within the debris field. The carburetor was separated from the engine, and the mixture, throttle, and fuel lines remained attached. The engine and its accessories displayed thermal and impact damage.

The propeller separated from the engine crankshaft at the propeller flange. The propeller flange was bent, twisted, and thermally damaged. The propeller hub was fragmented and portions of the hub were located within the debris field. Both propeller blades were separated from the hub. One propeller blade was bent, twisted, and the outboard 8 inches of the blade tip was missing. One propeller blade outboard section was located within the debris field. The inboard portion of the blade and blade hub were not located. The outboard portion of the propeller blade was bent, twisted, and contained leading edge gouges.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Medical Examiner of El Paso, Texas. The listed cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries as a result of a single airplane accident.

The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing on the pilot. The tests were negative for all screened drugs and alcohol.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into known instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.