Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bedford, Virginia 24523
Friday, March 16, 1990 19:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FOR THE FLT DURING WHICH HE WAS INFORMED THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED PAINTSVILLE, KY, ABOUT 1730 EST. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A HOLLOW OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. WX OBSERVATION LISTED ABOVE WAS TAKEN 20 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ANOTHER PLT STATED THE WX WAS MARGINAL WITH RAIN STORMS NEAR THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PLT HAD ALREADY TAKEN FOUR DAYS OFF WORK AND WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO WORK ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, LOW CEILINGS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND RAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BEDFORD
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24523
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID LYN
Elevation of weather observation facility 938
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 568
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1129
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41530
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N76026
NTSB Number BFO90FA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17268094
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 5 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 3529
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANKLIN F. SITES
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 1 BOX 125
Aircraft Owner City BEDFORD
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24523
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VIRGINIA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4209
Operator City LYNCHBURG
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24502
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 3I6
Departure City PAINTSVILLE
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LYH
Destination City LYNCHBURG
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --