Hyde County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Engelhard, North Carolina 27824
Thursday, November 7, 1991 21:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS HOME AIRPORT FOLLOWING A BUSINESS TRIP. NIGHT, VMC EXISTED, WITH AN OVERCAST CEILING AT 7,000 FEET. THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY HEADING WAS DIRECTLY TOWARD THE PAMLICO SOUND IN EASTERN N.C. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 1/4 MILE NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 11. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN IN A SHALLOW DESCENT AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS OR LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL PRIOR TO IMPACT. IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WERE A LACK OF NIGHT VISUAL REFERENCES IN THE SPARSELY POPULATED AREA. THIS, COUPLED WITH DARKNESS AND AN OVERCAST CEILING, RESULTED IN CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION EXPERIENCED BY THE PILOT, AND HIS INADVERTENT DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK, NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/7/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ENGELHARD
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27824
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HYDE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7W6
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 90
Airport Elevation 8
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2045 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID EWN
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 61
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2035
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46283
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7120P
NTSB Number ATL92FA020
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24
Aircraft Serial Number 24-2279
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KOGER, BOBBY B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6413 ROBERTSON POND ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WENDELL
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27591
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KOGER, BOBBY B.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6413 ROBERTSON POND ROAD
Operator City WENDELL
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27591
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W17
Destination City KNIGHTDALE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 11
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --