What happened
On February 1, 2008, a Cessna 525, registration N102PT, crashed in a wooded area in West Gardiner, Maine, resulting in 2 fatal injuries. The flight was a private, instrument flight rules (IFR) trip from Augusta State Airport (AUG) to Lincoln Airport (LNK) in Nebraska.
Prior to departure, the pilot received a weather briefing that warned of icing, fog, mist, precipitation, and turbulence. Despite the deteriorating conditions, the pilot proceeded with the flight. Witnesses at the airport noted that the pilot appeared to be in a hurry and declined to have the aircraft de-iced. During taxi, the aircraft moved across grass areas covered in snow and ice, and the left main tire became momentarily trapped in an icy ditch.
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted Portland International Jetport (PWM) for IFR clearance. At 1744, the pilot reported climbing through 1,000 feet. At 1746, the pilot declared an emergency, reporting an attitude indicator failure. Thirteen seconds later, the pilot radioed that she was unsure of the aircraft's direction. Radar data showed the aircraft was in a steep, rapidly descending left turn at the time communication was lost.
The wreckage was located approximately 6 miles south-southway of the departure airport. The impact was consistent with a high-speed, near-vertical descent, and a post-crash fire occurred at the site.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found it highly fragmented, consistent with an explosion. An 8-foot deep crater was identified at the initial impact point. Examination of the airframe remnants showed no evidence of pre-impact malfunction. Furthermore, examination of the recovered engine remnants indicated that both engines were producing power at the time of impact and showed no signs of failure.
The aircraft was equipped with three sources of attitude information: a primary flight display (PFD) on the pilot's side, an instrument on the copilot's side, and a standby attitude indicator. No evidence was found that any of these systems, including those required to maintain control, had failed.
Findings
- The pilot was operating at night in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with freezing rain and moderate icing.
- The departure involved an accelerating climbing turn, which, combined with the reported instrument failure, created an environment conducive to spatial disorientation.
- The pilot demonstrated signs of complacency, including taxiing on grass, failing to activate airport lights, and providing incorrect runway announcements.
- No FAA authorization was found for the pilot to operate the aircraft within RVSM airspace (between 29,000 and 41,000 feet), despite the flight plan requesting 38,000 feet.