Accident Overview
On December 29, 2016, about 1844 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182P (registration N52388) collided with terrain near Dabob, Washington. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was operating the aircraft under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight. The flight departed at 1816 from Boeing Field International Airport (BFI), Seattle, Washington, en route to William R. Fairchild International Airport (CLM), Port Angeles, Washington.
Flight History
According to a family member, the pilot, his wife, and two grandchildren had flown from CLM to BFI that morning, spent the day in the Seattle area, and were returning when the accident occurred. Air traffic control communications indicated the pilot was transferred from BFI tower to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island Approach Control West (APW) at 1833. Radar track data showed the airplane departed the BFI area northwest, climbing to about 2,800 ft msl before descending to between 2,500 ft msl and 2,000 ft msl.
At 1833:30, the airplane entered the northern side of restricted airspace P-51. The APW controller asked if the pilot was reversing course; the pilot replied he was trying to stay out of the restricted airspace. The airplane began a 270° left turn at 1,850 ft msl, descending to 1,025 ft msl during the turn, then exited P-51 northwest about 1834:44. At 1837:26, the controller asked the pilot's intentions; the pilot said he was trying to stay out of the clouds. The airplane completed another 270° turn at 1,400 ft msl and headed northeast. The pilot requested vectors to Port Townsend; the controller recommended a 050° heading to avoid an area with a minimum vectoring altitude of 8,800 ft msl.
At 1839:15, the controller instructed the pilot to maintain VFR flight and advised Port Townsend at 340°; the pilot confirmed turning to 340°. Over the next 5 minutes, the airplane performed two left 360° turns, with altitudes varying between 1,100 ft msl and 2,475 ft msl. At 1840:41, the controller said the pilot could not fly that heading to maintain VFR and recommended heading east. The pilot indicated he was heading east, but about a minute later turned north. The controller asked intentions; the pilot stated he was going to turn west to CLM. The controller said he would lose radar contact, offered assistance, and the pilot replied he was heading toward CLM and thought he might be out of the clouds. At 1843:30, after completing the last 360° turn, the controller asked if he was heading to CLM; the pilot responded affirmatively. At 1844:43, radar contact was lost about 14 miles south of Jefferson County International Airport and about half a mile northwest of the accident site.
A witness about 800 ft southwest of the accident site heard an airplane flying southeast then east with a loud engine. After losing contact, the FAA issued an alert notice. A search by the US Navy and a Washington State search and rescue team located the airplane on the morning of December 30, 2016, about 1.5 miles south of Dabob, in steep, heavily wooded terrain.
Personnel and Aircraft Information
The 63-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent third-class FAA medical certificate, issued April 3, 2015, required corrective lenses. He reported 700 total flight hours, 54 in the last 6 months. His logbook, last updated September 18, 2015, did not appear recently current.
The Cessna 182P (serial number 18262571) had a total airframe time of 2,554 hours at its last annual inspection on August 11, 2016. The engine was a Continental Motors O-470-R-25A (serial number 451850) with 2,554 hours total and 517.2 hours since major overhaul. Refueling records from BFI showed the pilot purchased 10.2 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation gasoline on the accident day.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather at BFI at 1753: variable wind 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, light rain, broken ceiling at 1,800 ft agl, overcast at 3,000 ft agl, temperature 8°C, dew point 6°C, altimeter 30.13 inHg. At 1835, Bremerton National Airport about 20 miles south of the accident site reported wind calm, visibility 10 miles, overcast at 600 ft agl, temperature 5°C, dew point 4°C, altimeter 30.15 inHg.
Infrared satellite imagery at 1845 and 1900 showed abundant clouds over the accident site moving west to east. Cloud-top heights were about 20,000 ft. The flight likely encountered precipitation, lowering ceilings, and instrument meteorological conditions after crossing Puget Sound. Sunset was at 1627, end of civil twilight at 1703, moonset at 1721. A search of official weather briefing sources found no record of the pilot obtaining a briefing; it is unknown if he checked any weather information.
Wreckage and Impact
The wreckage came to rest at the base of a draw between two hills sloping northeast to southwest. The debris field was about 160 ft long on a magnetic heading of 225°. The first identified point of contact was with three trees about 30 ft above ground. The left aileron outboard wing section was found at the tree bases. The main wreckage, including fuselage, engine, propeller, empennage, and wing sections, was near the end of the debris path. The fuselage was oriented on about a 100° magnetic heading and was fragmented. The engine had separated from the airframe. The propeller hub was heavily fragmented; both blades separated and showed S-bending, with about 2 inches of tip missing from one blade, and rotational scoring on one shank. The aft fuselage and empennage separated; the rudder and vertical stabilizer fragments were 160 ft northeast with tree strike indentions. The attitude indicator had separated from the instrument panel, its case fragmented and gyro showing rotational scoring.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by Pacific Northwest Forensic Pathologists determined the pilot's cause of death as severe multiple blunt force injuries. FAA toxicology testing identified 7-amino-clonazepam (a metabolite of clonazepam, a sedating benzodiazepine), bupropion (an antidepressant), and trazodone (a sedating antidepressant) in muscle; bupropion and trazodone were also found in lung. Clonazepam carries warnings against hazardous activities; trazodone may impair mental/physical abilities.