PASO ROBLES, CA, USA
N739YS
CESSNA TR-182
THE PLT DEPARTED VFR AND WHILE EN ROUTE ENCOUNTED IMC NEAR THE DESTINATION. THE PLT REQUESTED AN IFR CLEARANCE FOR A VOR-DME APCH. THE PLT WAS INFORMED BY ATC TO EXPECT A DELAY DUE TO ANOTHER ACFT EXECUTING THE MISSED APCH. THE PLT WAS ISSUED THE WX AS INDEFINATE 200 OBS, VIS 1/4 MILE. ONE MILE VIS WAS REQUIRED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING. THE PLT ACCEPTED THE APCH CLEARANCE AND STARTED A DESCENT. THE ACFT DESCENDED 1,200 BELOW THE APCH PROFILE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLT WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TERRAIN AND WAS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF RANCH AIRSTRIPS WHERE HE HAD LANDED PREVIOUS TO THIS FLT TO WAIT OUT THE WX AT THE SAME DESTINATION ARPT. THE COURSE BEING FLOWN BY THE PLT WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM DIRECT TO ONE OF THESE RANCHES.
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE EXECUTING THE PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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