East Kentucky Rgnl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hazard, Kentucky 41701
Sunday, May 27, 1990 18:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT DIVERTED TO AN AIRPORT DUE TO DETERIORATING WEATHER AT HIS DESTINATION. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, HE FELT AN UPDRAFT, AND THE AIRCRAFT GAINED ABOUT 150 FEET OF ALTITUDE. THE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO IDLE, AND THE FLAPS WERE PARTIALLY RAISED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE 3240 FOOT RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED DOWN AN ADJACENT HILL AND CONTACTED A DITCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND RATHER THAN ACCEPT THE LONG LANDING. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND, WHEN AN UPDRAFT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BE HIGH ON FINAL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAZARD
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41701
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 EAST KENTUCKY RGNL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID K20
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1245
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 294
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41233
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3235T
NTSB Number ATL90LA122
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700535
Certified Max Gross Weight 2275
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY E RATLIFF
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1307 JULIAN CLARK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29412
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RATLIFF, GREGORY E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1307 JULIAN CLARK ROAD
Operator City CHARLESTON
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29412
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 I14
Departure City INDIANAPOLIS
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 24
Runway Length 3240
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --