History of Flight
On February 8, 2013, about 0930 mountain standard time, a Cessna 152, registration N89059, was established on a right downwind leg for runway 6R at Ryan Field (RYN) in Tucson, Arizona, when radio and visual contact with the aircraft was lost by the air traffic control tower (ATCT) controller. The airplane impacted terrain about 1.5 miles southwest of RYN, sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot received fatal injuries. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed.
The 75-year-old pilot rented the airplane from Arizona Aero-Tech (AAT) at Tucson International Airport (TUS) with the stated intent of practicing landings and takeoffs at RYN, located about 11 miles west of TUS. Although the airplane reportedly had sufficient fuel, the pilot decided to fill the tanks; 15.2 gallons were added before departure. The pilot was observed to sump the tanks both before and after fueling and seated himself in the right seat to start the airplane.
The airplane departed TUS runway 11R about 0923 and was approved for an early turnout on-course. FAA radar data showed the airplane flew toward RYN at a maximum indicated altitude of 4,300 feet. The pilot contacted the RYN ATCT and entered a right downwind leg for runway 6R as instructed. Shortly thereafter, visual and radio contact was lost, and the controller noticed a dust cloud rising about 1.5 miles southwest of the airport.
Multiple motorists on Ajo Highway witnessed the airplane's final descent and the resulting dust cloud. They cut the pilot's seat belt and extracted him from the cockpit before emergency services arrived. Attempts to resuscitate the pilot were unsuccessful. An NTSB investigator guided first responders in safing the airplane.
Three inspectors from the Scottsdale Flight Standards District Office arrived about 1130. Representatives from the NTSB and Cessna Aircraft examined the wreckage the following day. The airplane was recovered and examined on February 11, 2013.
Personnel Information
FAA records indicated the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His flight logbook showed a total flight experience of about 302 hours as of February 2, 2013. His most recent flight review was completed on June 29, 2012, with a certificated flight instructor (CFI) from AAT.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1979 and equipped with a Lycoming O-235 series engine. It was registered to the president and owner of AAT. According to AAT records, the airframe and engine had about 8,037 hours total time, with about 3,038 hours since overhaul.
Meteorological Information
An automated weather observation system (AWOS) was installed at RYN, providing data to the ATCT and broadcasting on a radio frequency. The AWOS data was not captured every hour; near the accident time, only observations at 0754 and 1051 were recorded. The 0754 observation included winds from 110 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 8°C, dew point -1°C, and altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury. The RYN ATCT controller advised the pilot that the wind was calm when clearing the flight for its first touch and go.
A 0953 observation at TUS (12 miles east) included winds from 070 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 15°C, dew point -3°C, and altimeter 29.94 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was about 200 feet south of Ajo Highway. The main wreckage path was about 200 feet long, oriented along a magnetic heading of about 240 degrees. The airplane came to rest inverted, nose oriented about 090 degrees magnetic.
The nose underside was crushed; the aft fuselage was deflected about 90 degrees left and almost fully fracture-separated from the cabin. The empennage remained attached. The right wing was fracture-separated at its aft fuselage attach point; the left wing remained attached. Both wings had leading edge crush damage. No post-impact fire occurred. No oil stains or puddles were observed.
All flight control surfaces except a small segment of the left aileron remained attached. Control continuity was established. The flap actuator corresponded to about 20 degrees flaps; the pitch trim actuator to neutral. The transponder was set to code 0707. The fuel selector valve was between ON and OFF, consistent with impact deformation. The left seat belt was partially buckled and uncut; the right shoulder harness was engaged in its lap belt receptacle, and the outboard lap belt was cut, consistent with the pilot being in the right seat.
The engine remained attached and continuity to cockpit controls was established. No catastrophic engine failures were found. Manual rotation yielded thumb compressions on all cylinders. The propeller was separated, with both ends bent aft and chordwise scoring.
Both fuel tanks were intact but caps were liberated; fuel stains were observed, and about 3 cups of fuel drained from the left wing. No mechanical conditions or failures were found that would have precluded normal flight.
Additional Information
Radar Data
ATC radar tracking data showed the airplane entered a right downwind for runway 6R about 0934 at an indicated altitude of 3,200 feet. About 0935:28, it passed abeam the threshold at 3,000 feet. About 5 seconds later, the track deviated south, then northwest, then almost south. The last continuous secondary target was at 0936:33, 1.6 miles southwest of the threshold at 3,000 feet. A final target at 0936:56 was 0.4 miles southeast of the previous point at 2,700 feet. The reason for the deviations and a 20-second data gap could not be determined. No record of transponder code 0707 was observed in TUS radar data.
Eyewitness Observations
Four eyewitnesses provided information. One motorist eastbound on Ajo Highway saw the airplane about 500 yards away, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet, headed north, with an unusually nose-down attitude descending rapidly. A passenger in a westbound car saw the airplane about 150 feet above the ground descending rapidly, then make a sharp left turn. The witness interpreted the turn as an attempt to avoid powerlines. The airplane continued turning until it paralleled the road and disappeared behind vegetation. Witnesses did not provide definitive information on engine operation. All reported the pilot was unresponsive and that they cut his seatbelt to extract him from the right seat; they smelled fuel and noted electrical power was still on.
Fixed Base Operator Information
The owner and president of AAT also owned Velocity Air, which provided maintenance and fueling. AAT's rental procedures included initial documentation and training. Pilots typically reserved airplanes by telephone with the office manager. A 3-ring binder with maintenance and flight log information was provided to renters.
According to the office manager, the pilot arrived about 0820 and left for the airplane about 10 minutes later. He mentioned to the president that he planned to fly from the right seat to RYN for touch and goes. The president was later informed by a flight instructor that the pilot had recent right-seat experience and had "plenty of right seat experience."
Records showed the pilot had flown about 13 hours each in AAT C-172 and C-152 aircraft since September 2012. His most recent previous flight was on February 2, 2013, in a C-172, training in the right seat with his CFI. The pilot was described as "meticulous" regarding flying behaviors.
Pilot's Flight Instructor
The pilot's most recent CFI was employed by AAT. The pilot initially sought training to improve his "radio work," citing lack of experience at towered airports. The CFI described the pilot as "meticulous" with good "stick skills" but preferring specific values. The CFI stated the pilot was proficient in radio work and did not cause concern. His traffic patterns were consistent for both C-152 and C-172, typically using 10 degrees flaps abeam the runway end and 20 degrees on base. The pilot always used checklists.
Communications
Audio recordings from TUS revealed the pilot contacted clearance delivery about 0917, requesting "departure to Ryan," and was assigned transponder code 0405. He then contacted ground control for taxi clearance to runway 11R. The flight was cleared for takeoff about 0923, and about 4 minutes later, the TUS controller instructed the pilot to contact departure control. The pilot remained on that frequency for less than 2 minutes before requesting a frequency change to contact RYN ATCT.
Two controllers were working at RYN ATCT at the time. Neither witnessed the descent or impact.
RYN ATCT audio had no timing track; best-estimate times were noted. The pilot first contacted RYN about 0926:38, requesting touch and goes. The controller instructed a right downwind for runway 6R, verified touch and go request, and asked if the pilot had current ATIS. The pilot confirmed. About 0927:37, the controller cleared the pilot for touch and goes and announced "wind calm." The pilot clarified his intent to do three landings then return to TUS; the controller instructed "right closed traffic." About 0928:03, the pilot responded with "right closed traffic runway six right zero five niner," the last recorded communication. About 0929:20, the controller broadcast "Cessna zero five niner say position" with no response, repeating twice more. About 10 seconds later, the controllers noticed the dust cloud.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot's most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in December 2011, valid until December 31, 2013, with a special restriction. He was first certificated in 2002 via special issuance due to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation, and hypertension. He required annual re-certification with cardiac re-testing. Over time, mitral valve regurgitation increased from moderate to moderate-to-severe, and by 2012, severe bi-atrial enlargement and moderate right ventricle enlargement were noted. The left ventricle showed mild diastolic dysfunction. The pilot remained asymptomatic.
The autopsy report indicated the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the chest. Examination of the heart revealed significant disease: the heart weighed 520 grams (normal ~341 grams). There was marked dilation of the right atrium and moderate dilation of the right ventricle, but no significant coronary artery stenosis.
Forensic toxicology detected quinidine and triamterene in urine and blood, consistent with the pilot's medication history. No carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, or other drugs were detected.