History of Flight
On November 22, 2017, at 1656 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172G, N4676L, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain near Pittsford, Vermont. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Anne Kristine II, Inc., and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) existed near the accident site, and the flight was conducted under visual flight rules (VFR) on a VFR flight plan. The personal cross-country flight originated from Pittsfield Municipal Airport (PSF), Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 1555, with the intended destination of Middlebury State Airport (6B0), Middlebury, Vermont.
The pilot's son reported the flight's purpose was to visit relatives for the Thanksgiving holiday the next day.
A hand-held Garmin 396 GPS receiver recovered from the wreckage provided track data for the entire flight. The airplane departed PSF at 1555 and traveled north to Hoosick Falls, New York, then tracked northeast to Arlington, Vermont. Thereafter, the airplane appeared to follow US Highway 7 for about 50 miles. During the initial portion of the flight, the altitude was generally at or above 3,000 ft GPS altitude. About 35 miles before the end of the recorded data, the altitude began to decrease.
Approximately 2 miles south of Pittsford, the airplane was at about 1,500 ft above ground level (agl). As it continued north, the highway turned west through the town, but the airplane continued north, entering a valley between two ridges. Within the valley, the airplane turned east then north, staying within the bounds of rising terrain. It then turned west, crossed the western ridge, and began a descending right turn northward, where the track data ended. The last recorded GPS position, about 14 miles from 6B0, was at 1,152 ft mean sea level (msl) and about 750 ft from the accident site; ground elevation there was about 727 ft.
Personnel Information
The 89-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument ratings. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued July 14, 2015, with a requirement to wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision; the medical certificate was not valid after July 31, 2017. At the time of the medical examination, the pilot reported 1,520 total flight hours, with 55 hours in the preceding 6 months. The pilot's flight logbook was not found and was not available for review.
Based on the pilot's age, his medical certificate would have been valid through July 31, 2017. He had not completed the requirements of 14 CFR Part 68 (BasicMed).
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number 17254671, was manufactured in 1966 as a single-engine monoplane with fixed tricycle landing gear, seating four, and primarily metal construction. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4M engine rated at 180 horsepower. Maintenance records were not available. The airplane was originally equipped with a Continental O-300-D engine (145 hp); the airworthiness file did not reflect the Lycoming engine installation.
Meteorological Information
The pilot received two weather briefings: one two days before the accident at 1814, and another the day before at 1420. During the first briefing, the pilot was advised of a cold front moving through with scattered light precipitation, marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions at best, and AIRMET Sierra for mountain obscuration. During the second briefing, the pilot stated he wanted to fly VFR to avoid flying through clouds with potential icing. The briefer advised of widespread MVFR conditions, current METARs, TAFs, AIRMETs, freezing levels, winds aloft, and that VFR flight was not recommended along the route. The briefer also noted mountain obscuration east and south of the intended destination, including the accident site.
AIRMETs Sierra, Zulu, and Tango were valid for the accident site at the time, warning of IMC due to precipitation and mist; mountain obscuration; moderate icing below 7,000 ft; and moderate turbulence below 14,000 ft.
At 1556, weather at Southern Vermont Regional Airport (RUT), about 14 miles south-southeast of the accident site, included wind 310° at 4 kts, 10 statute miles visibility, light rain, overcast ceiling at 2,000 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.94 inHg. At 1656, conditions at RUT were wind 310° at 6 kts, 6 statute miles visibility, light snow and mist, broken ceiling 2,000 ft agl, overcast 2,600 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.94 inHg.
At Middlebury State Airport (6B0), 14 miles north-northwest of the site, conditions at 1635 were wind 340° at 4 kts, 10 miles visibility, broken ceiling 2,200 ft agl, overcast 3,400 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.96 inHg. At 1655, conditions at 6B0 were wind 350° at 5 kts, 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds 2,200 ft agl, overcast 3,600 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point 0°C, altimeter 29.96 inHg. Civil twilight ended at 1657.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies. The airplane was equipped with both vacuum- and electrically powered gyroscopic flight instruments. An electrically powered artificial horizon was found, as well as parts of another; one gyroscope housing showed evidence of rotation during impact. A vacuum-powered directional gyroscope was intact without contact evidence. A gyroscopic turn-and-bank indicator was intact and rotated freely. The vacuum pump separated from the engine; internal examination showed intact vanes and no preimpact anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Vermont State Department of Health attributed the pilot's death to blunt impacts. Toxicological testing by the FAA detected diphenhydramine (a sedating antihistamine) in urine and cavity blood, and ibuprofen in urine. The diphenhydramine level was well below therapeutic range and below the reporting curve. Ibuprofen is a non-sedating pain medication generally not considered impairing.