Flight Briefing and Departure
On the day of the accident, the pilot placed two calls to the St. Petersburg, Florida, Automated Flight Service Station. The first call, at 0741, was an outlook briefing; the second, at 1345 (approximately 44 minutes before departure), included a weather briefing and filing of an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight departed at 1429 eastern standard time.
ATC Communications and Approach
After takeoff, air traffic control (ATC) communications were transferred among several facilities as the flight progressed toward its destination. At 1709:40, the pilot established contact with the Memphis Air Traffic Control Tower (Memphis ATCT), reporting an altitude of 4,000 feet. When asked about the desired approach, the pilot requested the global positioning system (GPS) runway 16 approach. The controller informed the pilot that no weather reporting facility was available at the destination airport.
The flight remained with Memphis ATCT for the remainder of the flight. The pilot was cleared to descend and maintain 3,000 feet and acknowledged. At 1724:49, the pilot reported the flight at 2,300 feet without having received a descent clearance from 3,000 feet. The controller again asked about the approach type, and the pilot repeated GPS 16. The flight was then vectored for the approach, advised of weather conditions at nearby Memphis International Airport, and cleared to descend to 2,000 feet.
At approximately 5 miles from the initial approach fix (IAF), the flight was vectored to a heading of 180 degrees and cleared for the GPS 16 approach. The pilot indicated that in the event of a missed approach, he would go to Memphis; the controller provided missed approach instructions, which the pilot acknowledged.
Radar Track and Last Position
A review of radar data revealed the airplane's path after clearance: it flew south, intercepted the final approach course between the IAF and the final approach fix (FAF), then flew west of the course, turned left to a southeasterly direction, and re-intercepted the course approximately 3.5 nautical miles south of the FAF (between the FAF and the missed approach point (MAP)). Subsequently, the airplane flew east of the course, turned right to the southwest, and re-intercepted near the MAP. It then flew west of the course, turned right to the northwest, followed by a left turn to the west.
The last recorded radar return occurred at 1743:09, indicating 900 feet, at coordinates 35 degrees 12.5028 minutes North latitude and 090 degrees 04.1076 minutes West longitude—0.58 nautical mile southwest of the MAP, over the Mississippi River. The airplane, pilot, and passenger have not been located and are presumed to be destroyed and fatally injured, respectively.
Aftermath
Two days after the accident, cowling plugs marked with the airplane's registration were found south of Helena, Arkansas. The pilot had completed the FAA Wings Level VIII in June 2002.
Weather Conditions
A METAR observation at Memphis International Airport (KMEM) at 1753 (approximately 10 minutes after the last radar return) reported wind from 150 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 6 statute miles in mist, broken clouds at 700 feet, overcast clouds at 2,100 feet, temperature 48°F, dew point 46°F, and altimeter setting 30.08 inHg. Remarks noted that rain ended at 1702. KMEM is located about 10 nautical miles south-southeast of General Dewitt Spain Airport, the destination airport. Sunset occurred at 1706, and end of civil twilight at 1732. Doppler weather radar showed no significant severe weather echoes over the area between 1700 and 1800.