Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Berlin, Vermont 05663
Saturday, September 22, 1990 13:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HALIFAX FOR BURLINGTON, LOADED ABOUT 400 LBS ABOVE ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. HOWEVER, THE EN ROUTE FUEL BURN-OFF HAD REDUCED ITS WEIGHT WITHIN LIMITS. AFTER THE FLIGHT REACHED THE MONTPELIER AREA, THE WEATHER DETERIORATED TO IFR CONDITIONS. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN INTO CLOUDS SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, JUST BEFORE IT CRASHED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO SPIN OUT OF LOW CLOUDS. THE AUTOPILOT ROLL AXIS WAS FOUND ON, THE PITCH AXIS WAS OFF AND THE ELEVATOR WAS TRIMMED TO A NEAR FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1335
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BERLIN
Event State VERMONT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 05663
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1333 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 77
Weather Observation Facility ID MPV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6007
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42823
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CFSKO
NTSB Number NYC90FA225
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30813
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign 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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
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 KEN D. JONES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 218 GUSTIN PLACE
Aircraft Owner City SASKATOON SASK
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code YHZ
Departure City HALIFAX
Departure State CD
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BTV
Destination City BURLINGTON
Destination State VT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --