History of Flight
On February 15, 2019, at about 1730 Pacific standard time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, registration N917SR, was destroyed when it struck terrain near Ely, Nevada. The pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country trip. The aircraft departed Craig-Moffat Airport (CAG) in Craig, Colorado, at approximately 1425, with a planned destination of Joslin Field-Magic Valley Regional Airport (TWF) in Twin Falls, Idaho, about 336 nautical miles to the northwest. The pilot contacted air traffic control shortly after departure, requesting VFR flight-following services and indicating he would need to deviate south due to convection. While cruising at 17,500 ft mean sea level, the pilot stated he intended to turn north after reaching Salt Lake City. About 1552, the controller suggested proceeding direct to Ely, Nevada (ELY) before continuing to TWF, to which the pilot agreed. At 1616, while at 17,700 ft, the pilot advised he would go north to get under the cloud deck in about 50 miles, and began a descent five minutes later. About 1632, while descending through 10,400 ft on a southwest heading, the controller noted radar coverage becoming intermittent; radar contact was lost at 1634 as the aircraft descended through 10,000 ft over mountainous terrain with peaks exceeding 11,000 ft. The controller provided current weather at ELY (wind 170° at 14 knots gusting to 22, visibility 10 miles, broken ceiling 5,000 ft, overcast 6,500 ft) and the altimeter setting. The pilot reported diverting to ELY. Communication via the controller was lost after this transmission, but another aircraft relayed that radar service was terminated and to remain in VFR conditions. A witness east of ELY reported hearing an airplane flying low in clouds about 1700, with very poor visibility. Another witness north of ELY runway 30 reported hearing clicks on the UNICOM frequency at 1719, indicating an attempt to activate pilot-controlled lighting, followed by transmissions asking if runway lights were on and stating inability to see the runway. The ELY fixed-base operator manager also heard transmissions and confirmed lights were on but visibility was very low. Onboard non-volatile memory data for the last 10 minutes showed the pilot entered the airport area south of ELY at 9,000 ft, made multiple turns between 7,100 and 7,800 ft, and then proceeded northeast.
Aircraft Information
The Cirrus SR22 was originally equipped with an Avidyne Multi-Functional Display (MFD), an Avidyne Primary Functional Display (PFD), an S-TEC 55X autopilot, and two Garmin GNS430 units. It had been retrofitted with an Avidyne DFC90 autopilot. The MFD could provide a visual weather display, but it was not recovered from the wreckage, so its use during the flight could not be determined. The pitot-static and transponder tests were due April 30, 2019. The Pilot Operating Handbook prohibits flight into known icing conditions. According to the manufacturer, the airplane cannot maintain flight at airspeeds below 50 knots.
Meteorological Information
At 1453, the ELY Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) reported wind 160° at 19 knots gusting to 25, visibility 9 statute miles, scattered clouds at 4,800 ft, broken clouds at 7,000 ft, temperature 2°C, dew point -3°C, altimeter 29.68 inches. Snow began at 26 minutes past the hour and ended at 52 minutes. At 1553, conditions included wind 170° at 14 knots gusting 22, visibility 10 miles, broken 5,000 ft, overcast 6,500 ft. At 1653, wind 180° at 15 knots gust 20, visibility 10 miles, broken 4,200 ft and 5,500 ft, overcast 7,000 ft. A special observation at 1724 showed wind 310° at 17 knots gusting 28, visibility 9 miles, light snow, broken 1,600 ft and 2,800 ft, overcast 3,800 ft, temperature -4°C, dew point -4°C, altimeter 29.71 inches. Peak wind of 28 knots from 300° occurred at 1712, with wind shift at 1710, snow beginning at 1702, and pressure rising rapidly. At 1732, wind 320° at 12 knots, visibility 9 miles, light snow, broken 1,200 ft and 2,800 ft, overcast 3,800 ft, temperature -4°C. At 1744, wind 310° at 6 knots, visibility 9 miles, light snow, overcast 600 ft. A Terminal Area Forecast for ELY predicted temporary conditions between 1700 and 2100 of visibility 1 mile, light snow, and vertical visibility 1,200 ft. National Weather Service charts showed a cold front advancing southeast, with continuous light snow and overcast skies near the accident location. Rawinsonde calculations at 1700 indicated potential clouds above 8,400 ft agl, light and moderate icing between 7,800 and 15,200 ft, and moderate low-level wind shear near the surface; at 1800, moderate icing from surface to 11,300 ft and light wind shear. Satellite imagery showed cloud tops around 22,200 ft. AIRMET advisories for IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft, and moderate icing between the freezing level and 18,000 ft were active. No flight service contact had been made with the pilot. A problem with the ELY ASOS visibility sensor had been documented since February 5, 2019, with repairs made on March 14, 2019.
Wreckage and Impact
The wreckage was consistent with impact into shallow, upsloping, snow-covered terrain in an upright and right-wing-low attitude at an elevation of 6,929 ft, about 3.4 nm northeast of ELY. All major components were accounted for. A 5-ft by 12-ft crater marked initial impact, with a debris path extending 473 ft on a magnetic heading of about 065°. The firewall and instrument panel separated; composite propeller blades showed impact damage. The engine separated from the firewall; examination of induction, ignition, fuel, oil systems, and cylinder borescope revealed no pre-impact anomalies. The carry-through wing spar separated; the left side remained, right side fragmented. Fuel tanks were breached. Flight control continuity was established through overload separations. The Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) enclosure panel was found; the rocket motor remained in the launch tube with frangible link intact; the parachute was in a packed state. No anomalies noted with CAPS.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy attributed the pilot's cause of death to multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing detected amitriptyline (an antidepressant) and its metabolite nortriptyline in liver tissue; nortriptyline also in muscle. The psychoactive compounds mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (from kratom) and the sedating antihistamine cetirizine were found in liver and muscle. Acetaminophen and naproxen were also detected. Ethanol was present in liver tissue (1.4 gm/hg) but not in brain or muscle, which may indicate postmortem production.