Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Evington, Virginia 24550
Saturday, September 8, 1990 22:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE IFR AT 6000 FT MSL WHEN THE PLT ASKED ATC FOR THE CLOUD BASE HEIGHT AND THEN SHORTLY AFTERWARDS HE REPORTED MALFUNCTION OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR. THE PLT ALSO STATED 'ALL VACUUM PUMPS ARE LOST.' THE PLT LATER INDICATED HE WAS UNAWARE OF HIS ATTITUDE. WITHNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN AND STEEP BANK ATTITUDE BEFORE IT CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED FOG AND RAIN AT THE CRASH. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT AND WAS SCATTERED ABOUT 105 FT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT FLIGHTPATH AT IMPACT WAS 45 DEGREES DOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE IS FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2218
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City EVINGTON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24550
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2145 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID LYH
Elevation of weather observation facility 940
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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) 30.1
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2050
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45750
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4944H
NTSB Number BFO90DID02
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 18267855
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Jun 29 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHELBY AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1221
Aircraft Owner City SHELBY
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28150
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHELBY AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address SHELBY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City SHELBY
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28150
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CHO
Departure City CHARLOTTESVILLE
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SPA
Destination City SPARTANBURG
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --