John A Baker Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hohenwald, Tennessee 38462
Wednesday, November 3, 1993 21:35 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT & HIS PASSENGER WERE RETURNING HOME ON A NIGHT, VFR, BUSINESS FLIGHT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT LOW CEILINGS & FOG PREVAILED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES & TERRAIN ABOUT 2 MI SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE DESTINATION (A VFR-ONLY AIRPORT). THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS ABOUT 500' IN LENGTH. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT INITIAL IMPACT WAS IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED 6.114 UG/ML OF CHLORPHENIRAMINE, 0.272 UG/ML OF DIPHENHYDRAMINE, 13.5 UG/ML OF ACETAMINOPHEN, 30 MG/DL OF ACETALDEHYDE, & 10.3 UG/ML OF SALICYLATE (ASPIRIN). ALSO, 0.61 UG/ML OF HYDROCODONE WAS DETECTED IN THE PILOT'S BILE. AN AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER (AME) REPORTED THE PILOT HAD SUFFERED FROM ALLERGIES & DEPRESSION. THE AME WAS ALSO THE PILOT'S PERSONAL PHYSICAN & PART OWNER OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. HE HAD REPEATEDLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS TO THE PILOT, AS THOSE FOUND DURING THE TOXICOLOGY TESTS, THAT WERE NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPAIRED JUDGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE BY FLYING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS, THAT RESULTED IN HIS CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT AT NIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2135
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOHENWALD
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38462
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JOHN A BAKER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0M3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation 973
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2120 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID MRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 677
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1917
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 4 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 3
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N132MP
NTSB Number ATL94FA012
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20L
Aircraft Series Identifier M20L
Aircraft Serial Number 26-0011
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 23 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 1004
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PERRY AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 311
Aircraft Owner City LINDEN
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37096
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARDISON, WILLIAM L.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 2, BOX 436
Operator City LINDEN
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37096
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CKV
Departure City CLARKSVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2056
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 0M3
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --