Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ft. Mcclellan, Alabama 36205
Monday, October 3, 1994 15:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE FLYING VFR FROM CAIRO, IL. TO LAGRANGE, GA. WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS AROUND RESTRICTED AIRSPACE IN THE HUNTSVILLE, AL. AREA, THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE HAD BEEN 'IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS'. THE PILOT CONTINUED ON ROUTE, VFR, AFTER HUNTSVILLE TERMINATED RADAR SERVICE. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON THE SIDE OF STEEP, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES LOCATED. WRECKAGE AND TREE DAMAGE WAS INDICATIVE OF A LEVEL FLIGHT, WINGS LEVEL COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. THE CLOSEST WEATHER OBSERVATION SITE WAS ANNISTON, AL. (612 FT MSL, 11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE). AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THEY REPORTED A CEILING OF 800 FEET BROKEN, 1,500 FEET BROKEN, 2,000 FEET OVERCAST, WITH 4 MILES VISIBILITY, IN LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. THE ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 1,900 FEET MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE LOW CEILING, FOG, AND DRIZZLE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FT. MCCLELLAN
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36205
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1520 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 612
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1447
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1840
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3499R
NTSB Number ATL95FA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182L
Aircraft Series Identifier 182L
Aircraft Serial Number 18258799
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 3029
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINTERSET FLYING CLUB, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 329
Aircraft Owner City WINTERSET
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 50273
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WINTERSET FLYING CLUB, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 329
Operator City WINTERSET
Operator State IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 50273
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
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 CIR
Departure City CAIRO
Departure State IL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LGC
Destination City LAGRANGE
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --