Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Missing
Monday, January 7, 1991 17:21 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING SOUTHPORT, NC. ABOUT 35 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING SOUTHPORT, THE PILOT CONTACTED WILMINGTON APPROACH CONTROL STATING HE WAS UNSURE OF HIS POSITION, WAS IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLIGICAL CONDITIONS, WAS NOT QUALIFIED AS AN INSTRUMENT PILOT, AND REQUESTED WEATHER INFORMATION. WILMINGTON APPROACH ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR THE AIRPLANE TO WILMINGTON AIRPORT. AT 1721 RADAR AND RADIO COMMUNICATION WERE LOST. THERE WAS A FRONTAL SYSTEM IN THE AREA AT THE TIME WHICH CONTAINED SIGNIFICANT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AND EXTENSIVE RAIN. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND INJURIES ARE PRESUMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTURE, THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1721
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MISSING
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
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 1750 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID ILM
Elevation of weather observation facility 32
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 52
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43063
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2165Y
NTSB Number ATL91FAMS1
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172D
Aircraft Series Identifier 172D
Aircraft Serial Number 17249665
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERNON, JESSE H.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1123 SOUTH LAKE PARK BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City CAROLINA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28428
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VERNON, JESSE H.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1123 SOUTH LAKE PARK BLVD.
Operator City CAROLINA BEACH
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28428
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 SUT
Departure City SOUTHPORT
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N59
Destination City CAROLINA BEACH
Destination State NC
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 --