Marthas Vineyard Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Edgartown, Massachusetts 02539
Friday, September 18, 1992 20:16 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACH BY THE CONTROL TOWER. THE REPORTED WEATHER CONDITIONS INCLUDED A INDEFINITE CEILING OF 100 FEET AND ONE HALF MILE VISIBILITY WITH FOG. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRSPEED, GLIDEPATH, RATE OF DESCENT, AND POSITION RELATIVE TO THE GLIDESLOPE AND LOCALIZER WERE NOT STABILIZED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PUBLISHED DECISION HEIGHT FOR THE APPROACH IS 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO AN INSPECTOR WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS AERONAUTICS COMMISSION, THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS PAID TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FLY THE TWO PASSENGERS, AND HE HAD BEEN PAID TO FLY THE SAME ROUTE AT LEAST TEN TIMES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS'S LACK OF REGARD FOR THE PUBLISHED DECISION HEIGHT OF THE APPROACH AND HIS DECISION NOT TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND DESCENT RATE DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT'S POOR IN FLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH, WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH WERE BELOW APPROACH MINIMUMS, DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND SELF INDUCED PRESSURE BY THE PILOT TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2016
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City EDGARTOWN
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02539
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MARTHAS VINEYARD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MVY
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 60
Airport Elevation 63
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2020 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID MVY
Elevation of weather observation facility 63
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 774
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 19 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48238
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N102SR
NTSB Number BFO92FA151
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model R182
Aircraft Series Identifier R182
Aircraft Serial Number R18200731
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2560
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE R. GLADU
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32 ROTCH STREET
Aircraft Owner City FAIRHAVEN
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02719
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE R. GLADU
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 32 ROTCH STREET
Operator City FAIRHAVEN
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02719
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 HVN
Departure City NEW HAVEN
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1924
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MVY
Destination City
Destination State MA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 24
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --