Warren County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bowling Green, Kentucky 42102
Monday, July 6, 1992 8:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT .8 MILES EAST FROM THE DEPARTED RUNWAY 21. THE PILOT REPORTED A CLOUD BASE OF 800 FEET AGL TO THE FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION 1 MINUTE AFTER TAKEOFF. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE 'SCREAMING' AND THE AIRPLANE CAME OUT OF THE CLOUDS TOWARDS THE GROUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY SAW THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE RISE JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TREES. THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY AIRPLANE ANOMALIES. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AUTO PILOT CONTROLS WERE DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES. THREE GYROS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE AND EXAMINED. TWO OF THE THREE GYRO CASINGS EXHIBITED ROTATIONAL SCORING. THE PILOT HAD LOGGED ABOUT 354 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME. HE EARNED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING ON MAY 31, 1992. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION/VERTIGO.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BOWLING GREEN
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42102
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WARREN COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BWG
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 90
Airport Elevation 547
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 820 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID BWG
Elevation of weather observation facility 547
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 709
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48121
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N188AL
NTSB Number BFO92FA088
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-34-200T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7970121
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALEXANDRIA AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2604 AGA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ALEXANDRIA
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56308
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALEXANDRIA AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2604 AGA DRIVE
Operator City ALEXANDRIA
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56308
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code BWG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1314
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CID
Destination City CEDAR RAPIDS
Destination State IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 6500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --