History of Flight
On July 13, 2021, about 1042 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 421C, registration N678SW, was destroyed in an accident near Monterey, California. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to recorded communications, the pilot canceled an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance before takeoff and requested a visual flight rules (VFR) on top clearance. The controller cleared the airplane to the Salinas VOR via the Monterey Five departure and to proceed VFR on top. After takeoff, the controller instructed the pilot to contact Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The pilot established contact with Oakland ARTCC while ascending through 1,700 ft mean sea level. The controller observed the airplane turning in the wrong direction and issued an immediate right turn to a heading of 030°, which the pilot acknowledged. The controller then issued two low altitude alerts with no response. No further communications were received.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted trees about 1 mile south of the departure end of runway 10R. The first identifiable point of contact was a 50 to 75 ft tall tree with damaged limbs near the top. The debris path was oriented on a heading of about 067° and was about 995 ft in length. The main wreckage came to rest upright against a residential structure at an elevation of 447 ft msl. Rotational continuity was found in both engines, and no mechanical malfunctions or failures were identified that would have precluded normal operation.
Meteorological Information
Weather conditions reported at Monterey Regional Airport at 1054 PDT included wind from 280° at 7 knots, visibility 9 statute miles, ceiling overcast at 800 ft above ground level, temperature 15°C, dew point 11°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches of mercury. A numerical model sounding near the accident site indicated cloudy conditions from about 1,100 to 1,700 ft, with a freezing level at about 17,000 ft. Winds below 2,000 ft were from the west at less than 10 knots. A temperature inversion was noted between 1,600 and 4,600 ft. A pilot who landed at Monterey in the hours before the accident reported cloud tops near 2,000 ft msl and cloud bases at about 800 ft msl.
Personnel Information
A review of the pilot’s logbook indicated a flight review was completed on July 17, 2020. The flight instructor reported that an instrument proficiency check was also conducted during that flight, but no endorsement for the instrument proficiency check was observed in the logbook. In the 12 months before the accident, the pilot had accumulated about 0.3 hours of simulated instrument flight, 0.7 hours of actual instrument flight, and no instrument approaches.
Additional Information
The FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute defines spatial disorientation as a "loss of proper bearings; state of mental confusion as to position, location, or movement relative to the position of the earth." The FAA’s Airplane Flying Handbook notes that the vestibular sense can confuse the pilot, leading to false sensations and spatial disorientation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot performed by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing found no drugs of abuse.