Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brinkley, Arkansas 72021
Wednesday, May 26, 1999 5:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The non-instrument rated commercial pilot lost control of the agricultural airplane after an inadvertent encounter with instrument meteorological conditions shortly after takeoff. According to the operator, the airplane departed to the west, and approximately two minutes later the pilot radioed that he was 'disoriented.' The operator stated that 'apparently [he] was trapped behind a fog bank.' A witness, who is an agricultural pilot, reported that at the time of the accident he observed ceilings between 100-150 feet agl and a fog bank, which extended from the northwest to southeast, west of the airport. Another witness located 200 yards from the accident site reported that he heard the airplane, but due to the fog he could not see the airplane until the time of impact. He added that the visibility was 500 yards at the time of the accident. Two nearby weather observation facilities reported temperature-dewpoint spreads of 1 degree and 3 degrees, and both reported mist at the time of the accident. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation of the engine and airframe at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factors were the pilots failure to maintain control of the aircraft, spatial disorientation, and the fog.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 555
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BRINKLEY
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72021
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
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 Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1069
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 622
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 9:37AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8285K
NTSB Number FTW99FA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Grumman-Schweizer
Aircraft Model G164-B
Aircraft Series Identifier G164-B
Aircraft Serial Number 646-B
Certified Max Gross Weight 6075
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 12 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHISM FLYING SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 761
Aircraft Owner City BRINKLEY
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72021
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code KOEG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code M36
Departure City BRINKLEY
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 550
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 11:29AM
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 --