Chester Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Killingworth, Connecticut 06419
Monday, October 4, 1999 17:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While executing a non-precision approach, the airplane impacted a tower located about 2.6 miles northwest of the airport. A witness, who recorded the condition of the tower lighting daily, stated that the illumination of the top light on the tower, on the day of the accident, could not be determined due to fog. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the airplanes heading indicator bug was found selected to 075 degrees. The number one navigational OMNI head OBS was selected to 055 degrees. The approach procedure flight track, as depicted on the approach chart, was 076 degrees. A plot was drawn from the IAF to the tower. The distance from the VOR to the tower was about 8.6 statute miles, on a course of about 050 degrees true.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure follow the published instrument approach procedure. A factor in the accident was the low cloud ceiling.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KILLINGWORTH
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06419
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CHESTER AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3B9
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 282
Airport Elevation 416
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1745 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 258
Weather Observation Facility ID HVN
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 10200
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2135
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N121BG
NTSB Number NYC00FA004
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182R
Aircraft Series Identifier 182R
Aircraft Serial Number 18267740
Certified Max Gross Weight 3110
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 5 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 3097
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD S. BUELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City MADISON
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06443
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 BDR
Departure City BRIDGEPORT
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1721
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3B9
Destination City CHESTER
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 2566
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --