History of Flight
On March 25, 2017, at about 1433 central daylight time, a Cessna T210L, registration N6563D, was destroyed during an uncontrolled descent and subsequent in-flight breakup near Hayden, Alabama. The private pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight, operated under 14 CFR Part 91, departed from Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), Florida, at about 1150, destined for McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL), Tennessee. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed, and instrument meteorological conditions prevailed.
According to air traffic control radar and voice data, the flight proceeded at 10,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot requested and was approved to deviate right of course due to weather at 1357 and again at 1403. At 1420, the pilot requested and was approved to climb to 12,000 ft msl. The pilot checked in with the next controller, who described moderate to extreme precipitation ahead and asked if the pilot needed to deviate. The pilot replied he would go anywhere the controller thought was quickest. The controller allowed deviation as necessary. About 1429, the airplane began a series of descending right turns. The controller instructed the pilot to maintain 12,000 ft, but the descent continued. At 1432, the controller advised the pilot he was descending through 5,800 ft. No response was received, and radar contact was lost at about 2,000 ft msl.
A witness reported hearing a loud "boom" and seeing pieces of the airplane falling, with the fuselage spinning toward the ground.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 45, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings. On his most recent FAA third-class medical application (August 22, 2016), he reported 288 total flight hours, with 16.6 hours in the previous 6 months. He reported no medical conditions. His logbook was not available; recent flight experience could not be determined.
Aircraft Information
The 1974 Cessna T210L was powered by a Continental TSIO-520-R engine (310 hp) with a three-bladed McCauley propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on July 18, 2016, at a tachometer time of 2,220.8 hours.
Meteorological Information
Synoptic conditions showed a low-pressure system over Missouri with an occluded front, a cold front extending south, and a squall line ahead of the front. An outflow boundary was present west of the accident site. Surface observations from Birmingham (BHM) at 1353 indicated wind from 160° at 14 knots gusting to 19 knots, 10 miles visibility, broken ceiling at 6,000 ft, and distant lightning. At 1453, wind was from 260° at 16 knots. Weather radar showed echoes of moderate to heavy intensity near the flight path, with extreme intensity echoes developing south-southwest of the accident site.
The pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing via ForeFlight, which included a convective outlook for slight risk of severe thunderstorms over the region. No convective SIGMETs were active at briefing time, but controllers broadcast convective SIGMETs during the flight.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The debris field extended about 4,550 ft on a heading of 247°. The left elevator was found at the beginning, followed by wing sections and other components. The main wreckage, consisting of engine, fuselage, and empennage, was at the end. Control cable continuity was established from flight controls to the forward floor area. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller blades showed bending and chordwise scoring.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy determined the cause of death for the pilot as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing identified ethanol (0.046 gm/dl in muscle) and amphetamine (0.114 µg/g in lung and heart tissue). Ethanol may be produced postmortem; amphetamine is a controlled substance.
Additional Information
The FAA's General Aviation Joint Steering Committee discusses spatial disorientation when visual references are lost. The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook notes that the vestibular sense can generate false sensations, leading to disorientation. Advisory Circular 60-22 describes "get-there-itis" as a behavioral trap where pilots fixate on completing the flight. Advisory Circular 00-6B states that turbulence in thunderstorms can be severe enough to cause structural damage.