Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marshall, Minnesota 56258
Tuesady, August 17, 1993 9:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS ADVISED OF IMC ALONG HIS PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT BY THE FAA WEATHER BRIEFER. HE ELECTED TO DEPART ANYWAY AND MET DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS EN ROUTE. HE WROTE IN HIS REPORT TO THE NTSB THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TURN AROUND AWAY FROM THE LOW CLOUDS, WHEN HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A CLOUD AND BECAME DISORIENTED. WHEN THE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF THE CLOUD, IT WAS NOSE LOW AND DESCENDING. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO DEPART AFTER RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH FORECASTED IMC EN ROUTE AND HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 910
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MARSHALL
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56258
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 1436 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID MML
Elevation of weather observation facility 985
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
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) 0.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1960
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4477X
NTSB Number CHI93LA326
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 287625041
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Feb 26 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 3828
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JEFFREY L. SHAWD
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR1, 803 CLIFF
Aircraft Owner City VALLEY SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57068
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JEFFREY L. SHAWD
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address RR1, 803 CLIFF
Operator City VALLEY SPRINGS
Operator State SD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 57068
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 D19
Departure City LUVERNE
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MML
Destination City WILLMAR
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --