Tappahannock Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tappahannock, Virginia 22560
Tuesady, May 16, 2000 12:19 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was on a cross-country solo flight and entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing on Runway 20. He said he turned onto the final leg of the traffic pattern and established the airplane on a stabilized approach for the runway. The student pilot said that just prior to landing he 'blacked out' and lost consciousness. The student pilot said that he awoke when the airplane hit the ground. The airplane banked to the right, cleared a fence, but struck a power line and a trailer where it came to rest. A firefighter who witnessed the accident and assisted the student pilot said, 'The first thing he told me was that he blacked out.' The student pilot remained in the hospital for two days undergoing tests. He reported that he was not taking any medication prior to the accident, and that he had no pre-existing medical condition that would explain his loss of consciousness. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane, and examination of the engine's exhaust system revealed no leaks or mechanical faults.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilots's inability to maintain aircraft control after a loss of consciosness.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1219
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TAPPAHANNOCK
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22560
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport TAPPAHANNOCK AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W79
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 31
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 229
Weather Observation Facility ID RIC
Elevation of weather observation facility 168
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 33
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 341
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11238
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern Region Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date May 16 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1326
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2002 7:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1655E
NTSB Number IAD00LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271083
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 10 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3395
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OSCAR M. BARBER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 100
Aircraft Owner City TOPPING
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23169
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code W75
Departure City SALUDA
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code W79
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 1 2001 5:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 2785
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --