What happened
On January 17, 2010, a Cessna 172N, registration N8405E, crashed in a corn and soybean field approximately 4 miles south of the Tulip City Airport in Holland, Michigan. The flight, operated by Tulip City Air Service, was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed.
Prior to departure, the pilot had fueled the aircraft to capacity and informed airport personnel that he intended to take off and would file an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan if necessary. At approximately 0945, witnesses observed the aircraft take off from runway 08 and enter the overcast. Shortly after, witnesses heard the aircraft make several passes over the airport; on the fifth pass, the aircraft was seen flying only about 50 feet above the ground, barely clearing trees.
At 1000, the pilot contacted Muskegon Approach Control, stating he was "caught in some fog" and requested vectors to return to Tulip City. The pilot initially stated he wanted to file a quick IFR flight plan but later told the controller he was flying under visual flight rules (VFR) and was now forced into an emergency due to heavy fog. The last radar contact placed the aircraft 4 miles south of the airport at 1,500 feet. An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was subsequently detected, and the wreckage was located later that morning.
Both the pilot and the passenger sustained 2 fatal injuries.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage showed impact damage consistent with the aircraft descending in an uncontrolled spin. The aircraft's systems showed no mechanical anomalies. The engine, propeller, and flight control surfaces were all found to be intact and functional prior to impact.
Investigators found an RNAV (GPS) approach chart for runway 8 on the pilot's lap, despite the aircraft only being equipped with VOR/ILS and ADF equipment. Additionally, FAA inspectors determined the pilot was not instrument current, having not flown under instrument conditions for approximately two years.
Cellular records revealed the pilot had been engaged in frequent text and voice communications with the passenger from 6:00 P.M. the previous evening until 3:12 A.M. on the day of the accident. In one exchange, the pilot noted he needed at least four hours of rest before flying.
Findings
- The pilot's decision to take off in known instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) without instrument currency or recent instrument experience.
- The resulting spatial disorientation that led to an inadvertent spin.
- The pilot's lack of adequate rest prior to the flight.