Barstow Daggett Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daggett, California 92327
Sunday, March 20, 2011 12:34 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 4 hours before the pilot's planned first leg of her return flight home, AIRMETs for instrument flight rules (IFR) and mountain obscuration conditions, moderate turbulence, and moderate icing were issued for the flight track region and timeframe. About 1 hour before the flight, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a center weather advisory (CWA) that warned of moderate-to-severe turbulence. There were no records that the pilot obtained a formal weather briefing. According to the pilot's husband, the pilot typically obtained preflight weather information from "aviationweather.gov," but the website does not retain records of user access. A friend of the pilot reported that the pilot was aware that "a storm was coming" into southern California on the day she was leaving, but the friend was unaware of the pilot's specific pre-flight activities or preparations. The investigation was unable to determine whether or how the pilot obtained weather information regarding her planned flight. About 5 minutes after departure on the IFR flight, a second CWA for moderate to severe turbulence for the flight track region and timeframe was issued. The flight proceeded uneventfully until an air traffic controller advised the pilot of a report of light rime icing at her altitude. The controller then broadcast an all-aircraft advisory regarding the issuance (but not content) of the second CWA and instructed pilots to contact flight service for further information. It could not be determined whether the pilot obtained any specific information regarding the CWA, but she did not request to go off frequency to contact flight service. However, she requested a higher altitude in an apparent effort to avoid the reported rime icing. About 2 minutes later, the flight was cleared to 15,000 feet, and several minutes after that, the pilot reported breaking out of the clouds at 13,300 feet. Later, an air traffic controller advised the pilot of a re-route, and she reported that she had encountered moderate turbulence at 15,000 feet. About 3 minutes after that, radar data indicated that the airplane was descending at nearly 12,000 feet per minute and, very shortly thereafter, the airplane was lost from air traffic control radio and radar contact. Several ground eyewitnesses reported observing the airplane in a spin and in a vertical trajectory toward the ground, in an area where the local ceiling was about 12,000 feet above ground level. Although the airplane was substantially damaged by postcrash fire, the evidence indicated that the airplane impacted the ground in an aerodynamic spin. The investigation was unable to determine the specific reasons for the loss of control and resulting aerodynamic spin. Postaccident examination of the engine, propeller, and airframe did not reveal any preexisting mechanical deficiencies or failures that would have precluded normal operation or continued flight. The airplane aerodynamic configuration and weight distribution were significantly modified via several supplemental type certificates (STCs) relative to the original FAA-certificated configuration. Neither the FAA nor any of the STC holders evaluated the individual or combined effects of the STC changes on the airplane's spin susceptibility, characteristics, or recovery capability. Evaluation of the mass properties of the modified airplane indicated that it would be more resistant to spin recovery than it would be as originally configured. However, the investigation was unable to determine if this played a role in the pilot’s inability to recover from the aerodynamic spin. On May 24, 2012, the NTSB issued Safety Recommendations A-12-21 through -23 to the FAA to address the potential adverse effects on an airplane’s performance and structure if it has multiple STCs that are not properly analyzed for compatibility. Toxicological testing by the FAA Civil Aeronautical Medical Institute detected Nortriptyline in the pilot's liver. This is a prescription antidepressant used in the treatment of major depression and for certain chronic pain conditions; it is not normally used for intermittent pain. The pilot did not report the medication during her FAA medical certification examination or on her medical certificate application; pilots taking this medication are not eligible for FAA medical certification. A warning associated with this medication stated that it may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks. However, the degree to which the pilot may have been impaired from the medication could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to conduct the flight into a region of reported moderate to severe turbulence and icing conditions, followed by a loss of airplane control and an aerodynamic spin from which the pilot did not recover.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1234
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Daggett
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92327
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344943N
Event Location Longitude 1164728W
Event Location Airport Barstow Daggett
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DAG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1930
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID DAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 1930
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.76
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31190
NTSB Notification Source Local Authorities
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 23 2013 11:09AM
User who most recently changed record coln
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N50MC
NTSB Number WPR11FA173
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model P210
Aircraft Series Identifier Silver Eag
Aircraft Serial Number P21000044
Certified Max Gross Weight 4016
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Debt Free LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Truckee
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96161
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Katherine Morrison
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Truckee
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 96161
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SNA
Departure City Santa Ana
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HDN
Destination City Henderson
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 23 2013 11:09AM
User who most recently changed record coln
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --