History of Flight
On September 19, 2014, at about 0740 central daylight time, a Cessna 172R airplane, registration N2435R, impacted terrain near Okmulgee, Oklahoma. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was registered to Spinks Leasing Inc. and operated by a private individual under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Fort Worth Spinks Airport (KFWS), Fort Worth, Texas, at about 0500, en route to Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport (KRVS), Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The pilot was reported overdue, prompting an Alert Notice (ALNOT). Local law enforcement and the Civil Air Patrol discovered the wreckage in a field surrounded by trees. No witnesses or communications with air traffic control were reported, and no distress calls were documented.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 63, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. On November 15, 2012, he received a third-class medical certificate with a special issuance renewed for diabetes and glaucoma conditions, valid until November 30, 2014. He reported 720 total flight hours, with 60 hours logged in the preceding six months. The pilot's logbook was not recovered, and his most recent flight review occurred on September 14, 2013, in a Cessna 182T. His widow stated that he was an early riser, had gone to sleep around 2000 the night before, and had reported all known medical conditions to the FAA.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 172R, manufactured in 2006, was a four-seat, high-wing, single-engine airplane powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A engine driving a two-bladed metal McCauley propeller. The last annual inspection was conducted on August 20, 2014, at a total airframe time of 3,517.1 hours. No major maintenance discrepancies were noted.
Meteorological Information
The pilot obtained DUATS weather information at 0311, which included a terminal aerodrome forecast for KRVS with expected calm wind, 4 miles visibility, mist, and scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, with temporary conditions of 1 mile visibility and scattered clouds at 500 feet between 0500 and 0900. AIRMETs indicated IFR conditions with ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibility below 3 miles due to precipitation and mist. Additional AIRMETs were issued before departure. Weather observations at KFWS near departure time reported calm wind, 2.5 to 4 miles visibility, mist, and scattered clouds. At 0735, the nearest station, Okmulgee Municipal Airport (KOKM), reported wind from 150° at 5 knots, 2.5 miles visibility, mist, and an overcast ceiling at 200 feet. Satellite data indicated cloud tops near 3,000 feet mean sea level.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a field with trees, about 3.5 miles northwest of KOKM. The debris path followed a 110° heading. Initial impact was with tall trees, where a portion of the right elevator was found. A ground scar began about 75 feet from the tree line, with impact signatures consistent with a 10° nose-low attitude. The propeller separated at the hub and was found at the end of the scar. The right wing separated into two portions with tree strike marks. The main wreckage, including the cockpit and fuselage, came to rest 210 feet past the ground scar. The engine and firewall separated and came to rest in a tree line. Control continuity was established for elevator and rudder; the flap actuator indicated flaps up, and elevator trim was neutral. The engine exhibited continuity and compression, with no preimpact anomalies detected. The Garmin G1000 was damaged, and the memory card was not recovered.
Radar data showed the flight departing KFWS at 0503, tracking north at altitudes between 2,500 and 4,000 feet. Near Bixby, Oklahoma, the airplane performed multiple turns and descents, then maneuvered near KOKM without aligning with a runway centerline. The last radar return occurred at 0736:29 at 1,700 feet msl, about 0.5 miles east of the accident site. The cloud layer was overcast at approximately 900 feet msl.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Tulsa, Oklahoma, noted mild atherosclerotic stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy consistent with hypertensive cardiomyopathy. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, ruled an accident. Toxicological analysis detected ethanol in cavity blood and kidney but not in the liver, indicating likely postmortem production. Diphenhydramine, irbesartan, and rosuvastatin were found in specimens. The pilot's medical history included diabetes, glaucoma, and hypertension, with reported medications including insulin, canagliflozin, and others. The FAA had renewed his special issuance in February 2014. No evidence suggested a medical condition contributed to the accident.