Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waynesburg, Pennsylvania 15370
Friday, October 30, 1992 15:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITHOUT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS AND ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DESCENDED TO REMAIN BELOW THE CLOUD CEILING WHICH HE ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT '50 FEET ABOVE THE HILLS,' AND HE REALIZED HE WAS APPROACHING TOO CLOSE TO TERRAIN SO HE BEGAN A CLIMB INTO THE CLOUDS. HE INITIATED A 180 DEGREE TURN IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXIT THE CLOUDS; HOWEVER, DURING THIS MANEUVER, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A GUY WIRE FROM A RADIO TOWER. THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXECUTE A LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN/OBSTRUCTIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WAYNESBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15370
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID MGW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1248
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 955
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52009
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6581R
NTSB Number BFO93LA002
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model B24R
Aircraft Series Identifier B24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-303
Certified Max Gross Weight 2790
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 Nov 26 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 195
Airframe Hours 2644
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL G. MESICH
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD 1, BOX 93
Aircraft Owner City WINDRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15380
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MICHAEL G. MESICH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RD 1, BOX 93
Operator City WINRIDGE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15380
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 CKB
Departure City CLARKSBURG
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --