Roscoe Turner Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Corinth, Mississippi 38834
Wednesday, May 31, 1995 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED MULTIPLE ON-THE-GROUND AND IN-THE-AIR RECOMMENDATIONS BY FAA PERSONNEL THAT VFR FLIGHT SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED IN A STEEP RIGHT-WING-LOW ATTITUDE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND. WITNESSES IN THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED CEILINGS OF 1,000 FEET AND VISIBILITY OF 3 MILES, WITH THE VISIBILITY DECREASING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS DECISION TO CONTINUE HIS VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AFTER BEING ADVISED THAT VFR FLIGHT SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED, RESULTING IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO GET TO WORK, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CORINTH
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38834
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROSCOE TURNER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 425
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1955 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID TUP
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 51
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1247
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4207B
NTSB Number MIA95FA142
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 74-30711
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVEN J. CLARK
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 6, BOX 54
Aircraft Owner City HAMILTON
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35570
Operator is an individual? --
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? 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 Yes
Departure Airport Code CRX
Departure City
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSL
Destination City MUSCLE SHOALS
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 35
Runway Length 6500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --