Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Canton, Georgia 30114
Saturday, May 26, 1990 9:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING AN IFR FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THERE WAS A CLOUD LAYER IN THE AREA WHICH BEGAN AT ABOUT 5000 FEET MSL, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED DUE TO HAZE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING A LEVEL ATTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ERRATIC CLIMBS AND DESCENTS WHICH BEGAN AT ABOUT 6200 FEET AND CONTINUED DOWN UNTIL RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WITNESSES IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE SEVERAL ERRATIC CLIMBS AND DESCENTS AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUD LAYER. THE STABILATOR TRIM WAS FOUND TO BE IN THE FULL NOSE UP POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 905
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CANTON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30114
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2032
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45142
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2979X
NTSB Number ATL90FA119
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 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700379
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOUIS S. TORCIVIA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1036 ROCKCREST DR.
Aircraft Owner City MARIETTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30062
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 8A4
Departure City MARIETTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 846
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSK
Destination City DUBLIN
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --