History of Flight
On July 8, 2014, about 0807 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182F, registration N5816B, was substantially damaged following impact with terrain at a golf course near Fall City, Washington. The certified private pilot, who was the owner and sole occupant of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries. The local flight was being operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91; no flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area. The flight departed Fall City Airport (1WA6) about two minutes prior to the accident, with its destination being Harvey Field (S43) in Snohomish, Washington.
A family member reported that the purpose of the flight was to take the airplane for its scheduled annual inspection. Multiple witnesses at the golf course reported hearing the airplane but could not see it due to fog and low ceilings, with estimates of visibility from 20 to 150 feet above ground level. One witness observed the airplane heading west barely off the ground before the right wing impacted a tree, then a second tree. Another witness heard sputtering engine sounds followed by a loud thud, and saw the airplane upside down on the fairway. A third witness heard the engine throttle changes before impact. GPS data from a Garmin GPSMAP 296 showed the accident flight lasting from 07:52:51 to 08:07:02, with takeoff at 08:05:50 and final recorded point at 135 feet altitude and 124 knots groundspeed.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 70, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. On his most recent medical application (March 13, 2013), he reported 490 total flight hours, 477 hours in make and model, and 20 hours in the previous six months. He had received 75 hours of dual instruction in the accident airplane. He held a Special Issuance Third-Class Medical Certificate valid until March 31, 2015, and completed a flight review on August 23, 2012.
Aircraft Information
The 1956 Cessna 182F (serial number 33816) was a four-seat, fixed-gear, high-wing airplane powered by a Continental O-470-L-1 engine and equipped with a McCauley propeller. Airframe and engine logbooks were not located. The most recent annual inspection occurred between July 2013 and December 2013, during which a 500-hour magneto inspection and muffler replacement were performed. A work order from 2011 noted the standby vacuum pump was placarded inoperative per an airworthiness directive. The tachometer at the accident site read 471.1 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 0753, the closest weather reporting facility (Renton Municipal Airport, 14 nm southwest) reported wind 310° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 19°C, dew point 16°C, and altimeter 30.06 inHg. However, individuals at the golf course reported low cloud ceilings and fog that obscured tree tops.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane first impacted an 80-foot tree at the 15-foot level with its right outboard wing on a heading of 270° magnetic. It traveled west about 200 feet across a fairway before colliding head-on with a second tree at the 18-foot level at high speed. The engine separated and came to rest at the base of the second tree. The remainder of the airplane traveled another 60 feet west, coming to rest on its right side on a heading of 090° magnetic. Debris was scattered over 510 feet east/west and 125 feet north/south. The cabin and cockpit were mangled; the instrument panel was distorted; both control yokes were bent. The right wing was fragmented; the left wing was mostly intact but damaged. The empennage remained relatively intact. The fuel caps were intact and secure. The fuel quantity indicator on the left wing read full; the right wing read slightly less than three-fourths full.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on July 9, 2014, at the King County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death was blunt force injuries to the head, torso, and extremities. Toxicology testing by the FAA detected amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and telmisartan in blood and urine. The pilot's medical history included sleep apnea, hypertension, cataracts, acoustic neuroma, pulmonary embolus, and intermittent treatment for depression.
Tests and Research
Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have prevented full power. The propeller blades showed twisting and leading-edge polishing. Flight control cable continuity was established. The airspeed indicator needle was jammed at 125 MPH. GPS data from the Garmin GPSMAP 296 showed the airplane's track, with a maximum recorded altitude of 577 feet. Data from the JPI EDM-700 showed consistent engine parameters during the accident flight.
Additional Information
An FAA Advisory Circular on controlled flight into terrain was referenced in the investigation.