History of Flight
On February 1, 2016, at approximately 1945 central standard time, a Cessna 182T, registration N784CP, was destroyed when it struck trees and terrain during a missed approach at Mobile Regional Airport (MOB) in Mobile, Alabama. The airplane was operated by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) under 14 CFR Part 91. Both pilots—an airline transport pilot and a private pilot—were fatally injured. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions existed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the positioning flight, which had departed Louisiana Regional Airport (L38) in Gonzales, Louisiana, around 1830, destined for Mobile Downtown Airport (BFM).
The flight was the final leg of a three-leg "compassion flight" transporting a passenger from Florida to her home in Louisiana. Earlier that day, the pilots had departed BFM about 0930 for Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) in Panama City, Florida. A delay of about 2.5 hours occurred due to a problem with the aircraft bringing the passenger. The flight departed ECP for L38 around 1500.
At L38, the fixed base operator (FBO) owner—a CAP member—met the pilots and warned them about patches of sea fog moving inland along the southeastern Louisiana coast. He offered a courtesy car and accommodations for the night, but the crew indicated they wanted to return to BFM in time for a CAP meeting before the fog set in. At 1833, the flight, operating as "CAP 184," departed L38 and received an IFR clearance to BFM.
About 1924, the pilot requested a change of destination to MOB. ATC cleared the flight and issued incremental descents. At 1931, the approach controller verified the pilot had received current MOB weather. At 1935, the airplane was cleared for the ILS Runway 15 approach. At 1936, the controller issued alternate missed approach instructions (climb to 2,000 ft, maintain runway heading). The pilot acknowledged and was instructed to contact the tower controller, who cleared the flight for landing and provided runway visual range (RVR) information.
At 1937, the approach controller advised the tower controller that the pilot had been assigned runway heading for a missed approach, adding "he sounds a little shaken so just be careful with him."
At 1944, the pilot declared a missed approach. Radar data showed the airplane at about 500 ft msl (300 ft agl) with a slight right turn away from the localizer. The tower instructed the pilot to maintain 2,000 ft and verified the missed approach instructions; the pilot affirmed. Noting the airplane was not climbing, the tower reissued the climb instruction; the pilot acknowledged, then no further transmissions were received. The airplane continued its right turn, descended to about 300 ft msl (100 ft agl), then climbed to 400 ft msl. The final radar return at 1944:45 showed the airplane at about 300 ft msl. At 1945, the tower controller informed the approach controller that radar contact was lost.
An airline pilot who operated a turn at MOB that night reported that when his flight landed, conditions were visual, but within 23 minutes, RVR had dropped to about 2,000 ft. After departing, he reported the fog layer top at 500 ft msl, above which conditions were visual. He monitored CAP 184's approach and missed approach.
Personnel Information
The accident aircrew consisted of a mission pilot (pilot-in-command) and a mission scanner (additional crew member). Both were members of the Alabama Wing's Mobile Composite Squadron.
The mission pilot, age 67, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiengine land rating and commercial privileges for single-engine land and sea, among others. He also held flight instructor and ground instructor certificates. He joined CAP in September 1991, held the rank of major, and was qualified as a CAP examiner, check pilot, instructor, command pilot, and tow pilot. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was dated October 14, 2015, with a restriction for near-vision glasses. He had accrued about 11,000 total flight hours, with about 120 hours in the previous 6 months.
The mission scanner held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land rating. He joined CAP in November 2015, held the rank of second lieutenant, and was qualified in general emergency services and as a mission scanner. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was dated November 5, 2015. He had about 80 total flight hours.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a single-engine, high-wing Cessna 182T of conventional metal construction. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 engine rated at 230 horsepower, driving a three-bladed constant-speed McCauley propeller.
The aircraft information file (AIF), normally carried in the airplane, was not recovered and likely consumed in the postimpact fire. Computerized CAP records indicated an overhauled engine was installed on October 6, 2015, at 2,000.3 total hours. The most recent annual inspection was completed on November 20, 2015, at 2,021.9 hours. After the last flight on January 31, 2016, total time was 2,082.6 hours.
The airplane was equipped with a Garmin G1000 avionics suite (PFD and MFD), a Bendix King KAP 140 autopilot, and analog backup instruments. Onboard weather via XM radio was likely unavailable because the Alabama Wing had not requested a subscription renewal. The SD card for recording flight data was destroyed in the fire.
Meteorological Information
Synoptic conditions showed a stationary front across northern Alabama and Mississippi, with warm, moist southerly flow from the Gulf of Mexico. The station model for Mobile at 1800 indicated wind from 130° at 5 knots, visibility unrestricted, scattered clouds, temperature 67°F, dew point 66°F. Multiple stations reported fog.
The NWS forecast discussion issued at 1610 indicated onset of dense fog along the coast, with a dense fog advisory in effect for coastal areas including Mobile. An updated discussion at 1840 forecast ceilings and visibilities dropping into LIFR overnight. Soundings from Slidell, Louisiana, showed a moist low-level environment with saturated conditions from 500 ft agl to 6,000 ft.
MOB observations: at 1856, visibility 9 sm, broken ceiling 6,000 ft; at 1909, visibility 1/2 sm in fog, vertical visibility 200 ft; at 1956, same conditions. The MOB TAF issued at 1728 expected marginal VFR with temporary LIFR after 2000. Amendments at 1808 and 1918 changed the forecast; the final amendment included LIFR with 1/2-mile visibility in fog and ceiling 200 ft. A dense fog advisory was valid from 1610.
Satellite imagery at 1945 showed low fog and stratus. Sunset occurred at 1728, civil twilight ended at 1753, moonrise was not until 0119 the next day, resulting in dark night conditions.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane was found about 1 nm west of MOB at 0200 on February 2, 2016, after search personnel tracked its emergency locator transmitter (ELT). The initial impact was with a pine tree top about 90 ft agl. The right wing and a section of the left wing came to rest about 50 ft from the tree base. The debris path was about 150 ft long, oriented on a magnetic heading of about 150°. The main wreckage—fuselage, rudder, vertical stabilizer, left horizontal stabilizer, left elevator panel, and a section of left wing—came to rest on its right side on a magnetic heading about 140°.
A postimpact fire consumed most of the cockpit, cabin, and baggage area; the instrument panel and avionics were destroyed by fire. The left wing separated between the flap and aileron; the root section remained attached. The right wing fully separated. Flight control cables exhibited tensile overload separations. The fuel selector valve and left wing fuel tank were thermally damaged; the right wing fuel tank was breached. The ELT antenna separated.
The propeller spinner was partially separated; all three blades remained attached. Blade No. 1 was bent aft near the root; Blade No. 2 showed S-bending/twisting mid-span; Blade No. 3 had its tip bent aft. The engine remained attached to the airframe, lay on its right side, and was partially disassembled. Continuity of the crankshaft and valve train was confirmed; compression and suction were observed from each cylinder. The fuel injector servo was impact damaged.