Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
New Bedford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mattapoisett, Massachusetts 02739
Friday, November 20, 1998 12:20 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was level at 2,000 feet, in instrument meteorological conditions, when the pilot reported 'we've just lost our ahh artificial horizon.' About 5 minutes later, air traffic control lost radar contact, and communications with the airplane. A witness about 1 mile north of the accident site stated he heard the sound of engine noise coming from the water and he described the sound as loud and constant. The sound lasted for about 30 seconds and was followed by an 'explosive collision/impact sound.' He further stated he walked to the shore and attempted to locate the source of the sound, but 'because of the fog, I couldn't see anything at all.' The airplane was located in about 25 feet of water, and was scattered over a 150 to 200 foot area. The recovered wreckage consisted of both engines, parts of the airplane's left wing, empennage, fuselage, seats, and interior. The airplane's attitude indicator was not recovered. A faint needle impression was found on the face of the airplane's vertical speed indicator between minus 2,500 and 3,000 feet per minute. Examination of the left and right vacuum pumps did not reveal any malfunctions or failures.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after an undetermined failure of the airplane's attitude indicator. A factor in this accident was fog.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/20/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1220 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | MATTAPOISETT |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02739 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | NEW BEDFORD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | EWB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 9 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 135 |
| Airport Elevation | 80 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Partial - limited by pilot |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1228 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FMH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 132 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| 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 | 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) | 1763 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 20 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1503 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 11:53AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6820J |
| NTSB Number | NYC99FA026 |
| 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 | 414A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 414A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 414A0671 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7000 |
| 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 | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 9 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 2675 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GEMCO |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 753 DAVOL STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | FALL RIVER |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02720 |
| 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 | HYA |
| Departure City | HYANNIS |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1207 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | EWB |
| Destination City | NEW BEDFORD |
| Destination State | MA |
| 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 | -- |