Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brilliant, Alabama 35548
Thursday, December 31, 1992 20:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO FUEL THE AIRPLANE AT APRX 1900 PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, IMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ABOUT 1930. THE NWS 1951 RECORDED WX AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WAS 600 FT BROKEN, 1,500 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 6 MI IN FOG. AREA FORECAST FOR MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA AFTER 2000 WAS CEILING AT OR BELOW 1,000 FT AGL WITH VISIBILITY OF 3 MI WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE AND FOG. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 1/31/93 NEARLY SUBMERGED IN A LAKE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT WAS OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/31/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2040
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BRILLIANT
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35548
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
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 2050 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 282
Weather Observation Facility ID TUP
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 64
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
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) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 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) 832
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1103
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48331
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8205N
NTSB Number MIA93FA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-25400
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 150
Airframe Hours 3948
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS, AARON S.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 416 N. SPRING ST.
Aircraft Owner City TUPELO
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS, AARON S.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 416 N. SPRING ST.
Operator City TUPELO
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 38801
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 TUP
Departure City TUPELO
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FTY
Destination City ATLANTA
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --