Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Clinton, Mississippi 39056
Sunday, February 22, 1998 14:19 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Following a takeoff in low ceilings, rain, & carburetor icing conditions, the pilot failed to maintain the assigned heading, or climb to the assigned altitude. Radar data depicted the airplane executing a meandering flight path, and his radio communications with air traffic were sporadic and ineffectual. Even though the pilot reported reaching his assigned altitude of 4,000 feet, radar data indicated the highest altitude was 2,300 feet. A pilot who departed to search for the reported accident stated he encountered carburetor icing just after takeoff. The carburetor heat valve for the accident airplane was found locked in an intermediate position in the wreckage, & there was evidence of low engine power at impact. Disassembly of the carburetor airbox revealed scrape marks on the interior of the box indicating the carburetor heat valve had been forced toward the warm position by impact forces. The spark plugs exhibited light sooting. The pilot's fight records recorded one three hour instrument flight after he had obtained his instrument rating about seven years prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's lack of recent instrument flight experience that led to spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control; and his improper use of carburetor heat that resulted in a loss of engine power and subsequent collision with the ground during an emergency descent. Factors were low ceilings, rain, and weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/22/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1419 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | CLINTON |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39056 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1410 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 80 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JAN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 346 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| 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 | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 288 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 22 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1630 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 16 2001 11:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9166W |
| NTSB Number | ATL98FA053 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-235 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-28-235 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-10845 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| 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 | May 7 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 84 |
| Airframe Hours | 4079 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SEGUIN FLYERS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | HC 4 BOX 205P |
| Aircraft Owner City | CANYON LAKE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78133 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | DENNIS A. SCHINDEL |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1810 POPPY PEAK STREET |
| Operator City | SAN ANTONIO |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 78232 |
| 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 | HKS |
| Departure City | JACKSON |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1408 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 3R5 |
| Destination City | SAN ANTONIO |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2001 6:29PM |
| 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 | -- |