History of Flight
On November 25, 2023, at approximately 1835 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, registration N7763W, was destroyed in an accident near Mertzon, Texas. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot, his wife, and daughter arrived at Las Cruces International Airport (LRU) in New Mexico for a family gathering. The pilot conducted local flights on Friday and planned to return home on Saturday. According to his father, the pilot believed that weather would worsen on Sunday and mentioned that the flight could proceed as planned despite some clouds.
On the morning of the accident, the pilot filed a VFR flight plan from LRU to Bulverde Airpark (1T8) in San Antonio, Texas, with an estimated departure time of 0900 mountain standard time and an arrival time of 1325 central standard time. The planned route included a point 36 miles southeast of LRU. Although the flight plan did not list a stop at Pecos Municipal Airport (PEQ), the pilot’s parents knew he intended to stop there for fuel. The filed altitude was 10,500 ft mean sea level (msl). A weather briefing from a third-party application reported marginal VFR conditions and multiple AIRMETs for instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions along the route, active during the airplane’s passing time.
ADS-B data showed the airplane departed LRU about 1000 MST. It climbed to 9,700 ft msl, then descended and maintained altitudes between 7,700 ft and 7,300 ft until arriving at PEQ about 1225 CST. At PEQ, the pilot purchased 14.51 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The airplane departed PEQ about 1252, climbed to 10,000 ft, and proceeded on a heading of about 115°. Around 1319, the airplane changed heading and descended to 3,100 ft, then turned westward, climbed to 4,800 ft, and proceeded to Fort Stockton-Pecos County Airport (FST), landing about 1358. Before landing, the pilot’s wife texted his mother that they had turned around due to poor weather and sent a photo showing low clouds and visible moisture.
The airplane departed FST about 1431 and headed east, climbing to 5,900 ft before descending to about 3,500 ft. It maneuvered at low altitudes, made multiple heading changes, and landed at Reagan County Airport (E41) in Big Lake, Texas, at 1540. At E41, the pilot purchased 24.39 gallons of fuel and delayed departure for 2 hours 38 minutes for unknown reasons.
The airplane departed E41 about 1818 during nighttime conditions. Official sunset for the Mertzon area was 1741. The airplane climbed to 3,900 ft then descended and flew between 3,500 and 3,700 ft. Around 1829, it turned southeast, then left into a shallow descending turn that steepened in the final 4 seconds. The last ADS-B point recorded the airplane at about 2,200 ft msl, 281 ft northeast of the accident site. The area was unpopulated.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate. His logbook indicated about 4.5 hours of night flight time and 3.1 hours of simulated instrument flight time. He was not rated for instrument flight.
Meteorological Information
The pilot’s weather briefing included areas of marginal VFR and multiple AIRMETs for IFR conditions along the route, which were active when the airplane passed Mertzon.
Weather at LRU near departure: wind from 170° at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, broken clouds at 5,000 ft msl, temperature 11°C, dew point 1°C, barometric pressure 30.02 inches of mercury.
Weather at FST near departure: wind from 350° at 5 knots, clear visibility, temperature 18°C, dew point 8°C, barometric pressure 29.90 inches of mercury.
Ozona Municipal Airport (OZA), about 40 miles south-southwest of the accident site, reported about the time of departure from E41: wind from 160° at 8 knots, mist, broken clouds at 700 ft, overcast at 1,100 ft, temperature 12°C, dew point 11°C, barometric pressure 29.99 inches of mercury.
San Angelo Regional Airport (SJT), about 26 miles east of the accident site, reported near the accident time: calm wind, visibility 10 statute miles, overcast clouds at 1,600 ft, temperature 12°C, dew point 9°C, barometric pressure 29.99 inches of mercury.
Aviation Weather Center ceiling and visibility analysis charts for the time of the accident showed ceilings around 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) and visibility greater than 4 miles near the accident site.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted hilly terrain sparsely covered with small trees and cacti, coming to rest inverted at an elevation of about 2,227 ft msl on a heading of about 299° magnetic. The first probable impact point was a small tree. The left wing struck the tree, fragmented, and separated from the airplane. Both sides of the fuselage exhibited crush damage from the firewall to the empennage. A line of disturbed vegetation extended about 186 ft from the wreckage on a bearing of about 033° magnetic. The right wing was extensively damaged. All damage signatures were consistent with a low-angle, high-energy impact. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Additional Information
The Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge states that without visual reference to the horizon, the vestibular system becomes unreliable, and flight in reduced visibility or at night without instrument training should be avoided.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot listed the cause of death as “Multiple blunt impact injuries.”