The pilot was conducting a visual flight rules aerial observation flight and returning to his home base. Radar and weather data showed the Cessna 182 maneuvering in instrument flight rules conditions before radar contact was lost.
Examination of the accident site near El Paso, Texas, indicated the airplane hit rocky, mountainous terrain in a slight left-wing-low attitude at high airspeed, consistent with controlled flight into terrain, killing the pilot.
It is likely that the mountainous terrain was obscured by clouds and low ceilings at the time of the accident, which prevented the pilot from seeing the terrain.
Although the wreckage was significantly fragmented and damaged by fire, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue a visual flight rules flight into known instrument flight rules conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.
NTSB Identification: CEN15FA174
This March 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aside from intentionally flying into obscuring weather when in a region of rising terrain, reference to a VFR sectional chart early on while climbing to or maintaining at least 1000 ft above the highest terrain (by rule 2000ft in mountainous terrain) in the sector in which operating would be a good idea to have the best chance of not running into a rock in the clouds. The 180 exit procedure is always the preferred choice.
The rule is to slow down. This will give you more time to think and see things. So the less you see the slower you should be and if you get slow enough you’ll be with the ducks on the ground where you should be 😉
Question: How long, before hitting the hill was the pilot in IMC?
And how would anyone be able to determine that if there were no witnesses or survivors of the crash?
Probable cause hitting hills at high speed is from inability to fly IFR leading to loss of control.
Some early model Cessna aircraft had an emergency procedure for such incidents. I questioned over 150 Instructor and Examiner Pilots flying these machines and none ever could tell me what it was!!!!
Turn loose the control wheel, sight the turn and bank and with rudder hold a standard rate turn for one minute, level the wings and fly out.
If low, add power for climb during the turn.
It looks like the underlying problem wasn’t VFR into IMC, it was the pilot’s “mission mindset” that he was going to “get ‘er DONE!” despite IMC conditions. The pilot was a 70 year old veteran of many likely marginal VFR flights. While releasing the yoke and flying by rudder might be a viable last resort emergency escape maneuver, the most important – and most effective – thing this pilot could have done was to abort the mission well before entering MVFR.
The problem with the solution is that you are already in IMC. There could be a hill in your way as you execute the emergency procedure.
Huh?