History of Flight
On April 7, 2008, at 1226 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built RV-10, registration N210HM, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain near Seale, Alabama. The accident occurred after a missed approach to Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG) in Columbus, Georgia. The flight originated from Lebanon Municipal Airport in Lebanon, Tennessee, under an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan and in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger/builder were killed.
The pilot had initially requested a VOR approach to Weedon Field Airport (EUF) in Eufaula, Alabama, but then changed his destination to Auburn-Opelika Airport (AUO), and subsequently to CSG, requesting an ILS approach. The controller provided vectors and clearance for the ILS runway 6 approach at CSG. After the airplane flew past the localizer, the controller issued a low altitude alert. The pilot acknowledged but then the airplane descended and climbed in a series of turns. The last GPS track was recorded at 1226:41 at 2,148 feet; wreckage was found at 270 feet elevation approximately 400 feet east of that point. The airplane deviated up to 1,200 feet from its assigned altitude and 400 feet above on multiple occasions during the final 14 minutes. The controller issued two low altitude alerts and five heading deviation warnings; the pilot did not declare an emergency.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 63, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate (September 2006) required corrective lenses. He had logged about 1,770 total flight hours, including 358 hours in actual instrument conditions. In the six months before the accident, he accrued 6.4 hours of instrument flight time and performed three instrument approaches in IMC and one practice approach in VMC.
The pilot-rated passenger/builder, aged 64, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and a night flying restriction; he did not have an instrument rating. He had accumulated about 526 total flight hours, 68 of which were in the accident airplane. His most recent third-class medical certificate (January 2008) required corrective lenses.
Aircraft Information
The RV-10 was a four-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear amateur-built airplane issued a special airworthiness certificate in January 2007. It had accrued 75 total flight hours. The Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 engine had 2,287 hours total time, with 75 hours since major overhaul (2007). The airplane was equipped with a glass cockpit avionics suite (Dynon EFIS, GRT Horizon EFIS, GRT Engine Information System) and a single Garmin/Apollo SL30 transceiver; no vacuum or analog flight instruments were installed. Fuel on board at departure was 61 gallons, including 13.6 gallons added before the flight.
Meteorological Information
Weather at nearby stations at the time of the accident included overcast ceilings at 1,000 to 1,200 feet, visibility 8 to 10 miles, and variable winds. A stationary front covered southern Georgia and eastern Alabama. Satellite imagery showed cloud tops near 4,500 feet.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage path was about 440 feet long, oriented 150 degrees magnetic. The first point of contact was in treetops about 80 feet above terrain. The airplane fragmented along the path. Control continuity was established for the rudder; other controls could not be confirmed due to push rod fracturing. The propeller separated from the engine; blades displayed twisting, bending, and tip curl. The engine was found 433 feet from the first point of contact, stripped of accessories. Both doors were fragmented; locking mechanisms showed no anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies determined the cause of death for both occupants as blunt force injuries. Toxicological tests on the pilot were negative for alcohol and screened drugs.
Tests and Research
The cockpit sustained heavy damage; operation of the avionics could not be confirmed. The GRT EFIS units were capable of recording flight parameters to a USB device, but no data was found on three recovered USB drives, indicating the recording feature had not been enabled. One compact flash card contained a terrain file from February 2008; the other was damaged beyond recovery.
Additional Information
FAA Advisory Circular 60-4A, on spatial disorientation, notes that in low visibility, pilots may rely on flight instruments to maintain orientation.