Pike County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waverly, Ohio 45690
Sunday, August 4, 1996 1:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported he was in a left hand traffic pattern for a night landing at Pike County Airport, and he had turned base leg to land on runway 25. He said that he had the rotating beacon in sight and that he had activated the runway lights. The pilot stated, 'The approach was uneventful until I turned base in the descent. I found myself abruptly in very dense fog. I lost all visual reference outside the cockpit. My first reaction was to search for the runway lights, but this was to no avail. I did note that the aircraft instruments indicated that I was in a left bank turn and descending. As I took action to level the wings, the aircraft made contact with the ground.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with subsequent loss of visual contact and collision with the ground. Darkness and fog were related factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 150
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WAVERLY
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45690
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PIKE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID I57
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 660
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 57 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID KLC
Elevation of weather observation facility 744
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 73
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1856
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 818
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:17AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61049
NTSB Number IAD96LA124
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 150
Aircraft Series Identifier 150
Aircraft Serial Number 15070763
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 2551
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER S. JOINER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 184 WIKLE DRIVE, APT. 3C
Aircraft Owner City WAVERLY
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45690
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 PMH
Departure City PORTSMOUTH
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 30
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code I57
Destination City
Destination State
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 25
Runway Length 4900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --