History of Flight
On May 20, 2020, at approximately 1640 central daylight time, a Cessna T206H airplane, registration N51610, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Center, Texas. The pilot and passenger suffered fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The flight departed Astronaut Kent Rominger Airport (RCV) in Del Norte, Colorado, around 0920 mountain daylight time. The pilot stopped at Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE) in Gainesville, Texas, where he purchased 65 gallons of fuel. Departure from GLE occurred about 1440 CDT, with the destination being Center Municipal Airport (F17) in Center, Texas.
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data tracked the airplane's route after departure from GLE. After passing Tyler, Texas, the flight deviated south and approached Center from the west. Approximately 8.6 miles west-northwest of the airport, the airplane executed a large figure-8 pattern, then maneuvered south of the airport, turned north, and ended up about 1 mile east of the runway. North of the airport, it performed a left 360° turn and proceeded westbound. Another large figure-8 followed, after which the airplane flew back toward the airport and crossed the runway at mid-field at an altitude of about 900-1,000 feet above ground level (agl). The pilot then made four consecutive 360° turns above the runway before initiating a left base turn.
Whether the airplane touched down is unknown, but ADS-B data indicated it climbed near the departure end of runway 35. A tight 360° turn over the runway at about 1,000 ft agl followed, after which the airplane flew southeast of the airport. It climbed to approximately 3,500 ft agl, then turned back toward the runway. About 1/4 mile south of the runway, the airplane made a 180° right turn and began descending. The last ADS-B point, recorded at 1640:13, showed the airplane in a right descending turn at about 1,000 ft agl.
Witnesses observed the airplane making an approach to runway 35 and heard the engine as it performed a go-around. Subsequently, they saw the airplane in a vertical nose-low attitude accompanied by loud engine noise just before impact with the ground.
Personnel Information
The pilot's flight logbooks were unavailable for investigation. The most recent information on his flight experience came from an application for an FAA medical certificate dated July 26, 2018. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating, and his actual and simulated instrument flight times are unknown.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was equipped with an Aspen EFD1000 flight display installed on May 18, 2018. According to logbook entries, the pilot accumulated at least 125 hours of flight time with this display. The extent of instruction received or use of advanced functions could not be determined.
Also installed were a KAP 140 autopilot and a GDL69 XM Weather receiver; their usage during the flight could not be established.
Based on estimated fuel consumption of 25 gallons per hour for the first hour and 20 gallons per hour thereafter, investigators estimated that at least 1 hour of fuel remained at the time of the accident.
Meteorological Information
No request by the pilot for a formal weather briefing was found. The weather products he accessed before the flight are unknown.
The Center Municipal Airport (F17) had an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) that normally broadcast conditions every 20 minutes. However, according to the airport manager, the airport was closed for construction and the AWOS had been turned off since April 7, 2020, due to lightning damage. No official observations were available for the accident period.
The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a detailed weather review. The accident site was located north of a low-pressure system with a stationary front. Radar showed several intense to extreme intensity echoes associated with thunderstorms east of the site over Louisiana, with the closest echo more than 20 miles east-southeast. Satellite imagery revealed an overcast layer over the accident site and airport, with cloud tops estimated at about 3,500 ft mean sea level (msl). Weather radar indicated that a small area of echoes with extreme intensity had moved over and east of the airport between 1517-1524 CDT, but by accident time these echoes had moved 20 miles east-southeast, leaving only very light echoes along the flight path. Modeling suggested a broken layer of clouds at 1,500 ft agl (about 1,800 ft msl) with tops near 3,000 ft msl, and moderate turbulence likely between 1,600 and 3,000 ft msl.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a wooded area south of the approach end of runway 35. The impact angle was nearly vertical, with no post-impact fire. All major flight control surfaces were accounted for. The engine was found approximately 5 feet deep in the ground due to the impact velocity.
The wreckage was moved to a secure facility for examination. However, due to impact damage and distortion, a detailed examination could not be performed. In the portions examined, no anomalies were found in the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
Toxicology tests on pilot samples were conducted by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory. Samples were noted to be putrefied. Testing was positive for ethanol, n-propanol, and diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine is a non-prescription antihistamine for seasonal allergies that can cause sedation; it is acceptable for pilots but should not be used within 60 hours of flying, and regular use is unacceptable. Ethanol and n-propanol were also detected, but the samples were putrefied.