Pulliam Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flagstaff, Arizona 86001
Thursday, January 2, 1992 18:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 300-400 FT AGL BEFORE TURNING RIGHT AND DESCENDING INTO TREES. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE HORIZON WAS OBSCURED FROM HIS LOCATION, AND THAT THE LIGHTS FROM THE CITY WERE OBSCURED BY LOW STRATUS CLOUDS AND FOG. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE PILOT HAD ACKNOWLEDGED RECEIVING THE CURRENT ATIS INFORMATION WHICH REPORTED SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 500 FT AND A FOG BANK NORTHWEST THROUGH EAST, VISIBILITY NORTHWEST 2 MI, VISIBILITY EAST 3 MI.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AS HE TURNED AWAY FROM GROUND LIGHTS TOWARD UNLIGHTED TERRAIN. THE CLOUDS, FOG, AND DARK NIGHT CONDITION WERE FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City FLAGSTAFF
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86001
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PULLIAM
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLG
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 45
Airport Elevation 7011
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1801 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID FLG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6800
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) 1924
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 2 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46765
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5485N
NTSB Number LAX92FA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182R
Aircraft Series Identifier 182R
Aircraft Serial Number 18267753
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 8 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 2701
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PEDRICK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2760 E. BUTLER, PO BOX 1846
Aircraft Owner City FLAGSTAFF
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86002
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PEDRICK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2760 E. BUTLER, PO BOX 1846
Operator City FLAGSTAFF
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86002
Operator Code 0
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code FLG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1813
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DVT
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 3
Runway Length 6999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --