Covington Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Tennessee 38019
Friday, September 17, 1993 21:08 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S WIFE, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MORGANTOWN LATER THAN PLANNED; INTENTIONS WERE TO ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT BEFORE SUNSET. REPORTEDLY THE FLIGHT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND ALL SYSTEMS APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. BUT, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE ABOUT 1/4 MILE OF SOUTH RUNWAY 1. THE PILOT'S WIFE COULD NOT RECALL ANY OF THE EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO THE TREE COLLISION. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. SUNSET ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 1908 HOURS. A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S MEDICAL HISTORY REVEALED THAT HE WAS ISSUED A STATEMENT OF DEMONSTRATED ABILITY WAIVER ON 9/4/90 FOR DEFECTIVE DISTANT VISION, RIGHT EYE 20/400 CORRECTED TO 20/100.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED OBSTACLE CLEARANCE ON FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE, THE DARK NIGHT, AND THE PILOT'S DEFECTIVE DISTANT VISION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2108
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38019
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COVINGTON MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MO4
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 180
Airport Elevation 278
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2055 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID NQA
Elevation of weather observation facility 322
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
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) 750
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2089
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N289DC
NTSB Number ATL93LA160
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CORNWELL
Aircraft Model KR-2
Aircraft Series Identifier KR-2
Aircraft Serial Number 7748
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CORNWELL, DON F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 13 BOX 93
Aircraft Owner City MARGANTOWN
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 26585
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 MGW
Departure City MORGANTOWN
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code M04
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 1
Runway Length 4998
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --