Pocono Mountains Muni Air Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania 18344
Friday, August 13, 1999 10:07 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 3-1/2 hours before departing, the instrument rated private pilot received an abbreviated weather briefing for visual flight rules (VFR) flight conditions. He departed, and contacted Flight Watch. He was advised that VFR flight was not recommended. The pilot requested and received VFR radar traffic advisories. The controller requested that the pilot report the airport in sight, which the pilot acknowledged. Approximately 2 minutes later, the controller asked the pilot if he had the airport in sight. The pilot responded, 'No, I'm in the soup right now.' The controller advised the pilot that he was 1-1/2 miles north of the airport, and to maintain VFR. The pilot responded, 'I'm in the soup' and requested the current ceiling. The controller advised the pilot that he did not have the information, but that the airport was equipped with an automated weather observing system (AWOS). He gave the pilot the frequency, and the pilot responded. This was the last recorded transmission. The airplane was destroyed when it impacted the side of a hill. Approximately 11 minutes before the accident, weather at the destination airport was visibility 1/4 in fog, ceiling 100 feet overcast. Radar data showed the airplane about 1,000 feet above ground level, when it passed approximately 3/4 of a mile to the west of the airport.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A related factor was the fog.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1007
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MOUNT POCONO
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 18344
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport POCONO MOUNTAINS MUNI AIR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MPO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID MPO
Elevation of weather observation facility 1916
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 940
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4827C
NTSB Number NYC99FA198
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 210
Aircraft Series Identifier 210
Aircraft Serial Number 21063639
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD J. MORGNER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9321 CAMPBELL RD
Aircraft Owner City VIENA
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22182
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
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 HEF
Departure City MANASSAS
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MPO
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 10:35AM
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 --