Background
On December 22, 2010, at about 1950 eastern standard time, a Mooney M20R, registration N968SM, operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain in Dundee, New York, while on approach to the Penn Yan Airport (PEO), Penn Yan, New York. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Essex County Airport (CDW), Caldwell, New Jersey. The personal flight was conducted under Part 91. The airplane was owned by the pilot through a limited-liability company and was based at CDW. The pilot, age 57, was an emergency room physician commuting to work at a hospital in Geneva, New York. He held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA medical certificate application reported 2,700 hours of total flight experience; his logbook showed about 2,775 hours total at the time of the accident.
Flight History
The airplane departed CDW about 1840 and progressed toward PEO without incident. At 1930:18, while at 8,000 feet mean sea level (msl), the pilot contacted Elmira Approach Control and requested the area navigation (RNAV) global positioning system (GPS) approach to runway 1 at PEO. The controller cleared the pilot to fly direct to the initial approach fix (IAF) and advised of pilot reports for moderate rime ice from other aircraft between 4,000 and 5,500 feet msl, with reports of severe icing towards Elmira. At 1932:10, the pilot was cleared to descend to 4,100 feet msl at his discretion. At 1934:53, the pilot reported being above the clouds at 6,000 feet msl. The airplane was cleared for the approach at 1939:14. At 1940:26, the pilot requested and received a telephone number to cancel his IFR flight plan after landing. At 1943:56, he requested and was approved to change to the local airport advisory frequency, acknowledging at 1944:07. No further communications with the airplane occurred.
Radar data showed that at the last communication, the airplane was about 20 miles south-southeast of PEO. It began a descent from 4,100 feet msl at 1947:23. The last radar target was at 1949:26, about 10 miles south of the airport, at 2,600 feet msl. After intercepting the IAF fix, the airplane turned onto the approach course and descended at about 500 feet per minute. During the last minute, it veered northeast about 45 degrees before radar contact was lost. The accident site was about 1 mile north-northwest of the last radar target.
A witness near the accident site reported the airplane passing low overhead traveling northwest, banked until heading north, then descending “straight down.” The witness observed an orange flash and heard an explosion.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear, all-metal high performance airplane (serial number 29-0348) was manufactured in 2004 and powered by a Teledyne Continental Motors IO-550-G, 280-horsepower engine with a three-bladed Hartzell propeller. It had accumulated about 675 hours since new and 110 hours since its most recent annual inspection on June 9, 2010. The airplane was not equipped with a deicing system; the pilot’s operating handbook stated it was “NOT APPROVED” for flight into known icing conditions and prohibited operation in such conditions.
The pilot had accumulated about 20 and 40 hours in the 30 and 90 days preceding the accident, respectively. Night flight experience in those periods was about 25 and 15 hours; actual instrument time was about 12 and 5 hours.
Meteorological Conditions
The reported weather at PEO at 1953 included wind 310 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 19 knots, visibility 9 statute miles, overcast ceiling at 900 feet, temperature -4°C, dew point -6°C, and altimeter 29.96 inches of mercury. A witness reported freezing rain at the accident site. The National Weather Service Weather Depiction Chart showed marginal VFR to IFR conditions with light continuous snow. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite data indicated an overcast layer of nimbostratus clouds with tops near 6,000 feet. Pilot reports noted overcast clouds with tops between 4,300 to 6,300 feet and light to moderate, moderate, and one report of moderate to severe icing. At 1924, a Mooney about 28 miles east reported moderate rime icing between 4,000 and 5,500 feet; at 1928, a Cessna Caravan about 24 miles south reported moderate icing at 5,000 feet. AIRMETs for IFR, moderate turbulence, and moderate icing were current; the freezing level was at the surface. The pilot obtained a DUATS briefing about 4 hours prior, which included an AIRMET for icing and two pilot reports: one of light to moderate icing below 5,000 feet and an urgent report of moderate to severe icing at 4,000 feet. A Current Icing Product for 1900 showed greater than 70% probability of light to moderate rime icing over the accident site. An FAA inspector observed evidence of in-flight ice accumulation on the base of a communications antenna and on the upper surface of the inboard two-thirds of the left horizontal stabilizer.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted terrain about 8 miles south of PEO at an elevation of about 1,320 feet msl. Trees were broken at the 40 to 50-foot level amid taller trees. A debris path on a 015-degree heading extended about 200 feet from initial tree strikes to the main wreckage. An impact crater measuring 4 feet wide, 9 feet long, and 14 inches deep was located about 100 feet north-northeast of the tree strikes. The main wreckage came to rest right-side down on a tree at about a 45-degree angle, heading approximately 140 degrees. Both wings were separated and displayed leading edge deformations consistent with tree strikes. Fuel tanks were compromised with no evidence of fuel spill. Fire was observed along the debris path where the wings came to rest, but no fire at the main wreckage. The left horizontal stabilizer had its inboard 33 inches attached; the right horizontal stabilizer was curled; the bottom 2 feet of the vertical stabilizer remained. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to fragmentation. Landing gear was down, flaps up, and pitch trim in a nose-down position. The engine separated from the airframe; the propeller assembly remained attached with all three blades damaged. The engine rotated by hand and produced thumb compression on all cylinders except No. 2 (impact damage). Both magnetos produced spark. The engine-driven fuel pump drive shaft was intact. No vacuum pumps were located; an electrically powered attitude indicator showed scoring of the gyro housing and rotor assembly.
Medical and Toxicological Information
An autopsy was not performed, but toxicological testing detected Desmethylsertraline, Diphenhydramine, Lorazepam, and Sertraline in blood cavity or urine. The pilot’s family reported he had been taking Adavent for anxiety since 2008 and Zoloft for depression since about 2005. On his most recent FAA medical application, he checked “No” to the question about current medication use.
Additional Information
Astronomical data for the accident site indicated end of civil twilight at 1710; at the time of the accident, the Moon was 12 degrees above the horizon on azimuth 075 degrees with 97% of its visible disk illuminated.