NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 24, 2014, about 1445, central daylight time (CDT) a Cessna T210 airplane, N761SU, impacted terrain near Bay City, Wisconsin. The airplane was destroyed and the private rated pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and the airplane was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Kings Land O' Lakes Airport (KLNL), Land O' Lakes, Wisconsin, about 1315 CDT and was en route to the Hartington Municipal Airport / Bud Becker Field (0B4), Hartington, Nebraska.

When family members reported the airplane overdue, an ALNOT (Alert Notice) was issued. A search located the airplane wreckage in a field, about three miles east of the Red Wing Regional airport (KRGK).

A witness, located about five miles south of the accident, reported that about 1530-1600, he saw an airplane for about five seconds; it was in a 90-degree bank and didn't appear to be maneuvering. He reported the weather as a low overcast, murky, with probably three miles visibility. He thought it might have been an airplane making an approach to the airport.

Another witness, who was fishing on the river, between 1400 and 1530, reported hearing an airplane at a high pitch engine sound, and seeing it bank, then head towards the Bay City area. When he first saw the airplane it was below the bluff, but then disappeared past the bluff. He added that at the time, there was a breeze with periodic drizzle.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with rating for airplane single land, there was no record of him holding an instrument rating. The pilot held a third class special medical certificate that was issued on October 16, 2013, with the restriction; "must wear corrective lenses for near or distant vision". The pilot reported on his application for a medical certificate; he had 156 total flight hours with 125 hours in the last six months. The pilot's logbook was located in the wreckage. A review of the logbook revealed the pilot's last entry was on October 8, 2014, and he had accumulated 206.9 total flight hours with 86 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Cessna T210 is a high-wing, single-engine airplane, with retractable landing gear, and powered by a six cylinder Continental TSIO-520 reciprocating engine and a constant-speed propeller. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed the last annual inspection was completed on June 18, 2014, with a tachometer time of 1204.2 hours, and 417 hours total time on the engine.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1511, the automated weather observation facility located at the Red Wing Regional airport about 3 miles from the accident site recorded; wind from 200 degrees at 5 knots, 5 miles visibility in mist, an overcast ceiling at 900 feet, temperature 59 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 55 F, and a barometric pressure of 29.84 inches of mercury.

Synoptic conditions – The National Weather Service (NWS) Surface Analysis Chart for 1300 CDT on October 24, 2014 depicted a high pressure system to the southeast over Indiana and a cold front over northern Minnesota into South Dakota. The expected winds were from the south and approximately 10 knots or less over the region. The station models depicted an area of overcast clouds extending from northern Missouri into Iowa and southern Minnesota and Wisconsin with visibility restricted in mist.

The NWS Weather Depiction Chart for 1400 CDT depicted an area of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) conditions line over southern Minnesota, Iowa and portions of Wisconsin. A larger area of Marginal Visual Flight Rule (MVFR) conditions surrounding the period and extended over the accident site by an unshaded contour.

Satellite – The GOES-13 (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) visible image at 1430 CDT depicted a band of low stratiform clouds extending from central and eastern Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwestern Wisconsin and extended over the accident site. The Bay City area was located within the cloud band. The infrared cloud top image indicated cloud tops near 19,000 feet.

Minneapolis Sounding – The NWS morning sounding indicated a surface based temperature inversion with light southerly winds, and several other inversions due to subsidence below 18,000 feet, which resulted in a stable atmosphere. The wind profile showed winds increasing rapidly above the surface inversion from the southwest at 30 knots at 2,000 feet with winds veering to the west with height. The mean 0 to 18,000 feet wind was from 260 at 24 knots. The freezing level was identified at 11,780 feet during the period.

The afternoon sounding continued to depict a stable atmosphere with light winds below 1,000 feet, and winds from the west to northwest, and reflected the cold front moving through the area that evening.

NWS Forecasts & Advisories-The NWS Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) for Rochester International Airport (KRST) the closest forecast to the accident site was as follows: The forecast expected IFR conditions to prevail at the approximate time of the accident. The forecast was amended near the time of the departure and again prior to the accident adjusting the ceiling and visibility, but still expected IFR conditions.

Area Forecast (FA) current at the time of departure route expected a broken to overcast clouds at 2,500 feet msl and visibility 3 to 4 mile in mist gradually improving by 1300 CDT to scattered conditions.

The forecast was amended by AIRMET Sierra for IFR conditions over the area due to low stratiform clouds and mist with conditions continuing through 1600 to 2200 CDT.

The next issued Area Forecast was issued immediately after departure at 1345 CDT and amended the forecast to continue the overcast conditions at 2,000 feet msl and visibility 3 to 4 miles in mist through the period.

There were no SIGMETs, Convective SIGMETs or Center Weather Advisories issued applicable for the route during the period.

There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing from either AFSS or DUATS.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The on-site examination of the wreckage revealed the airplane's left wing impacted an open area of a corn field. From the initial impact point, the wreckage path consisted of a large crater, then several fragments of airplane. The wreckage path then continued into standing corn stocks. Both wings were fragmented and separated from the fuselage, the main cabin was severely crushed; the empennage was twisted from the fuselage and remained attached primarily by cable/wiring.

The engine had separated from the fuselage and was further down the wreckage path; the engine was located about 290 feet from the main ground crater. The 3-bladed propeller had separated from the engine and hub. One blade was found in the main crater, another blade was located about 30 feet from the main crater, and the third blade was about 100 feet from the main crater, but to the right of the wreckage path. There was not a post-crash fire.

The control column and two control yokes had separated in the crash. Aileron continuity was established at each of the wing bellcranks, both cables had separated from the control column. Control continuity for the elevators and rudders was established to their respective control surfaces. The flap actuator was extended, which corresponded to a flaps retracted position. The landing gear was not retracted; however, the position of the landing gear prior to impact was not determined. The nose landing gear strut and each main gear strut had separated from the airplane during impact. The engine was retrieved and transported to a hangar facility for further examination.

The engine had sustained extensive impact damage. The crankshaft propeller flange had fractured; the break exhibited 45-degree shear lips with spiral cracking on the crankshaft. The alternator, magnetos, and oil cooler had separated from the engine. Additionally, multiple pieces of the exhaust and induction system had also separated from the engine. The engine was rotated by hand; continuity was established to the accessory section of the engine and through the valve train, except for the number six cylinder; which was missing a portion of the cylinder head. Only one magneto was recovered; when rotated by hand, the impulse coupling engagement was observed and the magneto produced spark on each terminal.

The top spark plugs exhibited light colored combustion deposits and the electrodes exhibited worn out – normal signatures, in accordance with the Champion aviation check-a-plug chart. The bottom spark plugs were inspected using a lighted bore scope and exhibited worn out – normal signatures.

The fuel pump remained attached to the engine. The fuel pump drive rotated freely by hand. The fuel pump was disassembled and the fuel pump vanes were intact. The oil pump was disassembled, the drive and driven gears showed no anomalies, and were coated with oil.

No pre-impact abnormalities were noted during the airframe or engine examinations.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the Medical Examiner, St. Paul, Minnesota conducted an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was determined to be, "multiple traumatic injuries".

The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicological testing on the pilot. The specimens were not tested for carbon monoxide or cyanide. The test was positive for ethanol (20 mg/dL) in muscle and likely from a source other than ingestion. The test detected doxylamine in the liver and glyburide in liver and muscle.

Doxylamine is an over-the-counter antihistamine used in the short-term treatment of insomnia; it is also used in combination with decongestants and other medications to relieve sneezing, runny nose, and nasal congestion caused by the common cold and allergies.

Glyburide is used to help control type 2 diabetes; the medication use had been previously reported to the FAA.

TEST AND RESEARCH

The airplane was equipped with an engine monitor, which was removed and shipped to the NTSB vehicle recorder lab in Washington, DC for download. The engine monitor was successfully downloaded; no abnormalities were noted for the accident flight. The Specialist's Factual Report is located in the official docket for this investigation.

NTSB Probable Cause

The non-instrument rated pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in an in-flight loss of control.