Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Painesville, Ohio 44077
Friday, November 15, 1991 23:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO PILOTS DEPARTED KEENE, NH, IFR AND UPON ARRIVAL AT PAINESVILLE, OH, THEY RECEIVED A CLEARANCE TO EXECUTE THE NDB B APPROACH. ONE OF THE PILOTS CANCELLED THE IFR FLIGHT PLAN AND REPORTED THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT. THE CONTROLLER QUERIED THE PILOT WHEN HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ON RADAR 4 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT. ONE OF THE PILOTS INDICATED THEY WERE MANEUVERING TO LAND ON A DIFFERENT RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A 150 FOOT TALL POWERLINE SUPPORT TOWER APPROXIMATELY 140 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE VISIBILITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS LESS THAN ONE MILE IN RAIN AND FOG. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ADF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE POWERLINE TOWER STRUCTURE WHILE EXECUTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF PROPER RADIO EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO EXECUTE THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH, RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND NIGHT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2300
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PAINESVILLE
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44077
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 Full
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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 Light
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) 1628
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45316
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 N9637M
NTSB Number NYC92LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 670108
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1010
Airframe Hours 4762
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMITH, HARRY E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2683 ANTIOCH RD.
Aircraft Owner City PERRY
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH, HARRY E.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2683 ANTIOCH RD.
Operator City PERRY
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EEN
Departure City KEENE
Departure State NH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --