History of Flight
On March 30, 2011, at approximately 1248 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310R, registration N1914G, operated by Miller Aviation, LLC, was destroyed after colliding with trees and terrain during an instrument approach to Pike County Airport (PBX) in Pikeville, Kentucky. The certificated airline transport pilot and the sole passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport (MGY) in Dayton, Ohio, at about 1148. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the on-demand passenger flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 135.
Radar and voice data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the pilot requested and was cleared for the RNAV (GPS) RWY 09 approach at PBX. The minimum descent altitude for this approach was 1,960 feet mean sea level (msl); the airport elevation was 1,473 feet msl.
An airport employee monitoring the common traffic frequency reported that the pilot radioed he was 20 miles from the airport and requested weather conditions. The employee relayed the Automated Weather Observation Service (AWOS) report of 1 to 1.5 miles visibility and 200 to 300 foot ceilings, but added that conditions were worse than reported.
Witnesses at a worksite 200-300 feet below the airport elevation heard the airplane approach and observed it emerge from beneath the clouds directly above and parallel to a ridgeline aligned with the runway 09 final approach course. They saw the airplane impact treetops, strike a large tree, and then disappear from view. The witnesses reported that the engines sounded smooth and continuous until tree contact. They described heavy fog and clouds at treetop level.
The last four radar returns showed the airplane at altitudes of 1,900, 1,900, 1,800, and 1,700 feet msl. The final plot was located approximately half a mile from the runway threshold, aligned with the runway.
Personnel Information
The pilot was a co-owner of Miller Aviation. He held an airline transport pilot certificate with single-engine and multi-engine land ratings. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on January 24, 2011, on which date he reported 19,600 total flight hours. According to the operator, the pilot had 15,300 hours in the Cessna 310.
Aircraft Information
FAA records show the airplane was manufactured in 1975 and equipped with two Teledyne-Continental engines. Its most recent annual inspection occurred on March 29, 2011, at which time it had 15,667 total hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1250, PBX reported calm winds, an overcast ceiling at 300 feet, and 1.5 miles visibility. At 1255, the report indicated calm winds, an overcast ceiling at 200 feet, and 0.5 mile visibility. The terminal area forecast (TAF) for the destination called for IFR conditions with light drizzle and mist at the estimated arrival time. AIRMET Sierra Update 2 was active for IFR conditions and mountain obscuration in the area until 1700. The Pikeville Director of Public Safety, who responded immediately after the accident, stated that while entering an access code at an airport gate, fog was so thick he could not see the gate, which was 30 feet from the keypad.
Airport Information
Pike County Airport is situated in mountainous terrain approximately 5 miles north of Pikeville, built atop a ridgeline in a reclaimed surface mine area. The official airport elevation is 1,473 feet. The airport was not tower-controlled, but an airport employee monitored the UNICOM frequency at the time. Runway 09/27 is 5,350 feet long and 100 feet wide; Runway 02/20 is 3,600 feet long and 75 feet wide, located along the east side.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the wreckage site, located at approximately 37°33′N, 82°34′W, took place on March 31, 2011. All major components were accounted for. The first tree strikes were found 1,100 feet right of the runway centerline, about 100 feet below airport elevation. The wreckage path was oriented approximately 138° magnetic; pieces from both wings were scattered along the path. The main wreckage came to rest upright about 1,200 feet beyond the first strike, 650 feet below airport elevation.
The nose, cockpit, and cabin areas were consumed by post-crash fire. Both engines and propeller systems sustained significant impact and fire damage. The empennage, vertical fin, horizontal stabilizer, and elevator were largely intact. The rudder counterweight separated and was found 30 feet beyond the main wreckage. Control cable continuity was established from the tail to the cockpit. Engines and propellers were removed for detailed examination on April 1, 2011.
The right engine displayed impact and fire damage. The crankshaft rotated freely, continuity was established from powertrain through valvetrain to accessory section. Cylinder compression was confirmed via thumb method; borescope inspection revealed no mechanical anomaly. Magnetos produced spark at all leads. The right propeller had separated; all three blades showed twisting, bending, leading edge gouging, and chordwise scratching. The spinner exhibited torsional twist.
The left engine also showed significant impact damage. Crankshaft rotation and continuity were confirmed; compression and borescope findings were unremarkable. Magnetos produced spark. The left propeller remained attached; one blade displayed similar damage as the right propeller blades, while the other two showed spanwise bending and smearing that obscured chordwise scratches.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Office of the Associate Chief Medical Examiner for Kentucky determined the pilot's cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicological testing. Results detected 14.24 ug/ml acetaminophen in urine (common analgesic), dextrorphan (metabolite of dextromethorphan) in blood and urine, and 0.26 ug/ml doxylamine in heart blood. Doxylamine is an over-the-counter antihistamine used in cold and sleep medications; therapeutic levels range from 0.0500 to 0.1500 ug/ml. The report noted that doxylamine can impair mental and physical abilities required for hazardous tasks. Additionally, cough drop wrappers were found in the pilot's clothing, suggesting a possible upper respiratory condition, but no determination was made whether that condition posed a hazard.
Based on toxicological analysis, the pilot used a cold medication and had high therapeutic levels of doxylamine in heart blood; this medication can cause impairment and pose a hazard to flight safety.