Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Elmira/Corning Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Caton, New York 14830
Wednesday, October 4, 1995 19:34 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During arrival at night, the pilot contacted approach control (located in the control tower) and received vectors for an ILS runway 6 approach. During the first approach, the radar controller observed that the airplane drifted left of course and descended below the glideslope. This resulted in a low-altitude aural alarm, and the radar controller issued a low-altitude alert. The pilot made a missed approach and stated that he 'had a mismatch of the two compasses.' He was vectored for a second approach and was instructed to maintain 3,000 feet until established on the approach. The pilot was then transfered to tower frequency and was cleared to land. About 6 miles from the runway, the airplane again drifted left of course and another low-altitude alert was activated. The tower controller stated that he did not hear the low-altitude aural alarm, because he was focused on another airplane that was landing. A supervisor controller, situated on the other side of the control cab, heard the alarm and prompted the tower controller to take remedial action. However, the airplane crashed into an open field outside the outer marker in a wings-level attitude. Impact occurred at an elevation of 1,500 feet. The ILS glideslope crossing altitude at the outer marker was 2,800 feet. The extent of a 'mismatch of the two compasses' was not verified; no preimpact mechanical malfunction of the airplane was found. The pilot had flown nine instrument approaches since receiving an instrument competency check on 4/27/95 and had logged 15.7 hours of night flight time.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper IFR procedure by failing to maintain proper altitude, while on the initial approach for an ILS. A factor relating to the accident was: failure of the tower controller to issue a safety advisory.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/4/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1934 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | CATON |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 14830 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | ELMIRA/CORNING REGIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ELM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 240 |
| Airport Elevation | 955 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1934 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ELM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 955 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| 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) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1908 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 4 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9461E |
| NTSB Number | NYC96FA002 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172N |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17272271 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Sep 1 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 19 |
| Airframe Hours | 4610 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GEORGE O. COWBURN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 22 ALBERT DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | HORSEHEADS |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 14845 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | DKK |
| Departure City | DUNKIRK |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1818 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ELM |
| Destination City | ELMIRA |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| 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 | 6 |
| Runway Length | 6999 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |