Accident Overview
On February 18, 2018, at about 1505 mountain standard time, a Socata TBM-700A airplane, registration N700VX, impacted terrain during an instrument approach to Evanston-Uinta County Airport/Burns Field (EVW) in Evanston, Wyoming. The commercial pilot and a passenger sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight and departed from Tulsa International Airport (TUL), Tulsa, Oklahoma, about 1210 central standard time. The flight was conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan.
Flight History
Radar and air traffic control data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tracked the flight. The pilot initially filed Centennial Airport, Colorado, as the destination. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the pilot requested a change to Pueblo Memorial Airport, Colorado. About an hour and 20 minutes later, he requested another change to Provo Municipal Airport, Utah, due to weather. At 1353, the pilot requested to make EVW the new destination, stating that EVW was below minimums at departure but had improved. At 1422, the controller confirmed the pilot had received EVW weather information.
The pilot was cleared for the ILS Runway 23 approach beginning at the FBR VOR. Initially cleared to 15,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot acknowledged, but while proceeding to FBR, the controller issued low altitude alerts as the airplane descended to 14,400 ft msl. The pilot responded that he was experiencing turbulence and the autopilot was trying to maintain altitude. The airplane was later cleared to cross FBR at or above 10,000 ft msl and cleared for the ILS approach. At 1459, the airplane crossed the final approach fix and descended. At 1502:07, the airplane was at 7,300 ft msl, just below the decision height of 7,343 ft, and about 1.6 nautical miles from the runway threshold. The airplane then climbed past 7,700 ft msl and entered a left 270° turn, during which it climbed and descended. After entering a right turn, radar contact was lost at 7,900 ft msl. The published missed approach procedure involved a straight-ahead climb to 7,600 ft, then a climbing left turn toward a holding point about 17 nautical miles southwest of EVW.
Residents heard the airplane and impact, and emergency responders arrived. A postimpact fire consumed large portions of the fuselage and wings.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot had logged at least 90 hours in the make and model. The airplane was manufactured in 1997 and had been modified with an MT Propeller MTV-21-1-E 5-bladed propeller and a Garmin G600 avionics system. The most recent maintenance, a 200-hour inspection, was completed on September 27, 2017. The pilot purchased the airplane in June 2017.
Weather Conditions
A weather study by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) meteorologist indicated that at 0432 the morning of the accident, the National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for Uinta County, including Evanston, predicting heavy snow from 0900 with 8 to 14 inches accumulation. At 1227, the Storm Prediction Center identified possible convective activity over the Evanston area. At 1400, a cold frontal boundary extended from south of the accident site through Utah and Nevada.
At 1420, the EVW automated surface observing system (ASOS) reported wind from 290° at 17 knots, 2 miles visibility, light snow and mist, broken clouds at 2,400 ft agl, overcast at 3,600 ft agl, temperature 0°C, dew point -2°C, and altimeter 29.47 inHg. Peak wind was from 260° at 32 knots at 1401. When the airplane passed the intermediate fix, ASOS reported 3/4-mile visibility, light snow and mist, and a broken ceiling at 700 ft agl. Twelve minutes later, before crossing the final approach fix, visibility was 1/4 mile, with snow, freezing fog, and vertical visibility 800 ft. The minimum for the ILS Runway 23 approach is 200 ft and 1/2-mile visibility for all aircraft categories. When the airplane began the missed approach, ASOS reported wind from 350° at 14 knots, 1/2-mile visibility in snow and freezing fog, and vertical visibility 800 ft. Data indicated IFR to low IFR conditions, gusty winds, light to heavy snow, and ceilings 700 to 1,400 ft agl at the time.
A model sounding suggested possible low-level wind shear from the surface to 9,500 ft msl and clear air turbulence above 8,000 ft msl.
The pilot received a weather briefing from ForeFlight at 1934 the day before the accident, before the significant weather was issued. No official weather briefing was requested. The pilot changed destinations inflight citing weather, but how he obtained updates is unknown.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The first impact point was in several trees, with the right wingtip near one. The impact angle was about 60° nose low on a magnetic heading of 358°. The main wreckage comprised the fuselage, empennage, and left wing. A postimpact fire destroyed most of the cockpit and forward fuselage. The right wing was separated and came to rest on the right side. All major components were accounted for. Flight control continuity was established. Flap jackscrew positions indicated a flaps setting of 34°, consistent with landing. Landing gear actuators showed the gear were retracted. Avionics were damaged or consumed by fire.
Engine examination revealed circumferential rubbing and smearing of fan discs in multiple stages, consistent with power at impact. No preimpact engine anomalies were found.
Additional Information
The EVW airport manager reported that several months before the accident, the pilot mentioned a flight where the airplane's flight display went blank during an instrument approach in marginal visual flight rules. The pilot said he used ForeFlight on his iPad to execute a left turn and re-fly the approach, planning to have the avionics shop troubleshoot. No maintenance log entry for avionics work was found.
On the accident day around 1455, the manager heard five mic clicks, then three clicks, consistent with activating the pilot-controlled lighting. A few minutes later, a 10-second transmission with a possible woman's voice in the background was heard, with no distress call.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy revealed mild-to-moderate coronary artery disease without blood clots or evidence of heart attack. The cause of death was listed as multiple traumatic and thermal injuries. Toxicology testing was negative for all tested substances.