Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tonopah, Nevada 89049
Sunday, December 14, 2003 10:50 PST

The private pilot and one passenger departed on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, personal VFR cross-country flight from an airport near the pilot's residence in Tucson, Arizona, to an airport near Florence, Oregon, with a fuel stop in Tonopah, Nevada. Approaching Tonopah, the pilot reported deteriorating weather, and requested a GPS approach to the airport. He was issued a clearance for the GPS Runway 15 approach. No further communications occurred with the accident airplane. Due to mountainous terrain, the approach is not monitored on radar. The airplane was cleared for the approach at 1042. Special weather observation taken at Tonopah at 1024, reported 10 miles visibility, with scattered clouds at 1,900', and broken clouds at 7,000' and 8,000'. A special observation taken at 1042, reported 2 miles visibility in light snow, with few clouds at 2,000', and broken clouds at 2,800'. A special observation taken at 1049, reported 1 mile visibility in light snow and mist, and a vertical visibility (VV) of 1,700'. The METAR observation taken at 1056, reported 1 mile visibility in light snow and mist, with a VV of 1,200'. A special observation taken at 1106, reported three-quarter mile visibility in light snow and mist, with broken clouds at 800', and an overcast at 1,600'. The forecast for the area, valid for the time of arrival included active AIRMET's for IFR conditions, specifically mountains obscured by snow and mist, visibility below 3 miles, and ceilings below 1,000'. The Tonopah GPS Runway 15 instrument approach is a non-precision approach with an MDA of 5820' msl, which is 394' above the airport elevation. The approach is north of Tonopah, with a southerly inbound course, and is bounded by mountain peaks ranging from 7,000' to 9,000'. Initial radar data indicates the airplane started the approach at the appropriate location and altitude, then descended below radar coverage, and did not execute a missed approach. The airplane impacted a rock face north of the airport. During the search, Sheriff's personnel interviewed witnesses who observed the airplane flying low, in and out of cloud bases. The airplane was observed northeast of the airport along a highway proceeding westbound, where it intercepted another highway northbound. The airplane then reversed course south along the highway, and turned southwest along the west side of the San Antonio Mountains. After turning south along the mountains the airplane entered an easterly oriented canyon which terminates at Lime Mountain Peak, elevation 7,102' msl. Prior to reaching Lime Mountain Peak, the airplane turned north into a canyon leading to San Antonio Peak, elevation 7,727' msl. The airplane impacted a steep wall on the south side of San Antonio Peak, about 7,500' msl. An examination of the airplane indicated the flaps were extended 10-20 degrees, the landing gear was in the down position, and the engine was producing power.

The pilot's failure to follow approved instrument flight procedures, and his failure to maintain clearance from obstacles/terrain, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident are snow and low clouds.