History of Flight
On April 12, 2012, at approximately 1730 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 320D, registration N32EG, collided with mountainous terrain after an in-flight breakup and uncontrolled descent. The accident occurred about 23 miles south of Green River, Wyoming. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Flying High Investments and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a visual flight rules cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Sidney, Nebraska, around 1530, with a planned destination of Winnemucca, Nevada.
Family members alerted the Federal Aviation Administration that the pilot was overdue that evening. An alert notice was issued at 2307. The following morning, search and rescue personnel discovered the wreckage in a remote area. The debris field spanned approximately 0.4 miles.
Recorded radar data showed the airplane tracking westward at altitudes between 10,000 and 12,000 feet mean sea level until about 1716. The track then depicted a descending 720-degree turn, followed by multiple heading and altitude changes over about 2 minutes. The last radar return was at 17:30:08 at 11,400 feet, about 0.4 miles from the accident location.
No witnesses were identified, although a sheep herder in the area reported mixed rain showers.
Pilot and Aircraft
The pilot, aged 65, held a private pilot certificate for single-engine and multi-engine land airplanes and a third-class medical certificate issued January 10, 2011, with a requirement for corrective lenses. He did not hold an instrument rating. His logbook was not recovered, but on his medical application he reported 1,600 total flight hours, with 20 hours in the preceding 6 months.
The six-place, twin-engine airplane, serial number 320D0009, was manufactured in 1965. It was powered by two Continental TSIO 520-B engines with variable pitch propellers. The most recent annual inspection of the airframe and both engines was completed November 1, 2011, at an airframe total time of about 4,627 hours.
Meteorological Information
The nearest weather observation station, Rock Springs, Wyoming (KRKS), about 37 miles northeast of the accident site, reported the following conditions:
- At 1656: wind 300° at 10 knots, 4 miles visibility, light snow and mist, few clouds at 200 feet, broken ceiling at 1,100 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet, temperature 1°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.80 inHg.
- At 1707: wind 280° at 8 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 200 feet, broken ceiling at 5,500 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet, temperature 1°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.80 inHg.
- At 1754: wind 230° at 9 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered at 4,600 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet, temperature 4°C, dew point 2°C, altimeter 29.80 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was on mountainous terrain at an elevation of about 6,345 feet. The debris field measured approximately 0.42 miles in length on a bearing of 300 degrees. Plexiglass window fragments, an emergency egress window, and a section of the right elevator were at the southeast end. The fuselage and both engines were at the northwest end. The fuselage showed extensive thermal damage from a postimpact fire. Sections of wings, flight controls, and the horizontal stabilizer were scattered between.
Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunction. All separated aerodynamic surfaces exhibited overstress fracture features with 45-degree shear lips and no fatigue. The fuselage was crushed aft and thermally damaged. The right wing was found in two sections, both with overstress fractures. The left wing was similarly separated. The empennage was fragmented; the vertical stabilizer and rudder remained attached but crushed. The horizontal stabilizer and elevators were separated with overstress features.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was performed on the pilot on April 17, 2012. Forensic toxicology tests conducted by the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute returned negative results.
Additional Information
Detailed examination reports and diagrams are available in the public docket.