Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lovell Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37416
Friday, December 22, 2006 21:36 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane, piloted by an instrument rated private pilot, was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain while being vectored on a missed approach. An instrument flight plan was on file and was activated. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport at the time of the accident. However, instrument conditions were reported at approach altitudes. In a transmission with the air traffic controller during the flight, the pilot stated he was "disorientated" and he confirmed that the "trouble" was not with the airplane. Plotted radar data showed that the airplane descended below altitudes the airplane was being vectored on and below published altitudes for the precision approach. The air traffic controller cancelled the approach clearance and gave a missed approach clearance to climb. The data showed that the airplane did an undirected 360-degree turn while being vectored and another undirected turn near the accident site. The pilot had accumulated 366 hours of total flight time. He had accumulated 29.1 hours of night flight time, 54.1 hours of simulated instrument flight time, and 14.3 hours of actual instrument flight time. He logged 3.9 hours of actual instrument flight time and four instrument approaches in the six months prior to the accident. The pilot's logbook did not contain an instrument competency check. The recorded weather at the destination was: Wind 210 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 9 statute miles; sky condition few clouds 500 feet, overcast 1,800 feet; temperature 16 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 29.95 inches of mercury; remarks drizzle began about 27 minutes before the accident and ended about 16 minutes before the accident. An on-scene investigation was conducted and no airframe or engine pre-impact anomalies were detected.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's reported spatial disorientation which lead to not maintaining altitude/clearance from terrain and not obtaining/maintaining a proper climb rate during the missed approach. Factors were the night, the clouds encountered on approach, and trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/22/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2136 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Chattanooga |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 37416 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 350212N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0851223W |
| Event Location Airport | LOVELL FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CHA |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 683 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2125 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 200 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CHA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 683 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 23178 |
| NTSB Notification Source | F |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 22 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 31 2008 11:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Nashville, TN, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3704B |
| NTSB Number | CHI07FA045 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | E-1753 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 32.58 |
| Airframe Hours | 3687.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LM Aviation Enterprises Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 Silverside Road, Suite 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | GNV |
| Departure City | GAINESVILLE |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1850 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CHA |
| Destination City | Chatanooga |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Missed approach (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 27 2008 4:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 7400 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |