What happened
On August 11, 2008, a Dickey RV-6A experimental airplane, registration N22163, crashed into a vacant lot in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The flight originated from Fayette County Airport in Tennessee, with the intended destination being Hutchinson County Airport in Texas. The pilot, an instrument-rated private pilot, was conducting the flight under visual flight rules (VFR) without a flight plan.
At the time of the accident, the area was experiencing instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) due to a warm front and light rain. Air traffic control radar tracked the aircraft at 4,50 and 8,500 feet MSL, noting that the aircraft began a right-turning corkscrew pattern. The final radar returns showed the aircraft descending from 8,500 feet to zero altitude in approximately 23 seconds. Witnesses on the ground reported hearing an irregular engine noise and observing the aircraft emerge from the clouds in a steep, nose-down attitude before impacting the terrain. The impact resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of the N22163 and found the fuselage compressed within a crater. The engine was found buried 4.5 feet deep, positioned nose-down at an 80 to 85-degree angle. While the engine was running, the propeller showed signs of failure, including a broken blade and a sheared crankshaft. The throttle was found in the full forward position. No preimpact mechanical anomalies were identified in the aircraft.
An analysis of the pilot's logbook revealed that while he was instrument-rated, he had not flown in actual instrument conditions since October 2003. Additionally, toxicological testing of the pilot revealed the presence of citalopram, an anti-depressant medication. The FAA flight surgeon noted that the use of this medication would have precluded medical certification.
Findings
- The aircraft's flight path and the prevailing weather conditions were conducive to the onset of spatial disorientation.
- The pilot made the improper decision to continue a VFR flight into areas of reduced visibility and IMC.
- The pilot lacked recent experience operating the aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions.