Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plymouth, Massachusetts 02038
Sunday, November 3, 1991 12:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD A HISTORY OF FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE AND IN WEATHER CONDITIONS EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT AN INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVER HIS BOAT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 50 FEET, INTO A FOG BANK. THE AIRPLANE HAD LIMITED FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AT A LOW ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH THE WATER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE OVERCONFIDENCE OF THE PILOT IN HIS ABILITY AND AN AIRPLANE WITHOUT PROPER INSTRUMENTATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1250
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PLYMOUTH
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02038
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
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 50
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) --
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) 2276
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45315
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6AN
NTSB Number NYC92FA026
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 L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 10282
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
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 No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT H. RUSSELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 30 PLEASANT ST
Aircraft Owner City NORWOOD
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02027
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT H. RUSSELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 30 PLEASANT ST
Operator City NORWOOD
Operator State MA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02027
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 OWD
Departure City NORWOOD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1123
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OWD
Destination City
Destination State
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 --