Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bismarck, North Dakota 58502
Saturday, June 1, 1991 1:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT HAD ONLY THREE HOURS OF NIGHT TIME AND DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEF. HE ELECTED TO TAKE OFF AT 0050 AND MAKE THE RETURN FLIGHT HOME IN ORDER TO MAKE A MILITARY RESERVE COMMITMENT. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 58 DEGREES F, DEW POINT 56 DEGREES F. THE PILOT TOLD A FRIEND AT THE AIRPORT THAT HE WAS GOING TO FOLLOW THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE FOLLOWING MORNING EIGHT MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT, AND THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE. A STATE TROOPER ON DUTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT FOG WAS FORMING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THAT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS AN AREA WHERE FOG IS VERY COMMON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEF, VRF FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BISMARCK
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58502
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 6
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 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID BIS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1677
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) 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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1279
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43871
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:18AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5478K
NTSB Number CHI91DTG01
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274144
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 15 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 4193
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLIFF HAMILTON, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2421 COUNTRY CLUB DR.
Aircraft Owner City FARGO
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58103
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLIGHT TRAINING, LTD.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1801 23RD AVE. N.
Operator City FARGO
Operator State ND
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 58102
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 BIS
Departure City BISMARK
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 50
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FAR
Destination City FARGO
Destination State ND
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 --