Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Willard, Kentucky 41181
Tuesady, January 18, 2000 11:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

There was no record of a weather briefing or flight plan for the accident pilot or airplane with any flight service station. The pilot departed Parkersburg, West Virginia, and intended to fly to Saint Petersburg, Florida. About 15 minutes before the accident, a witness observed the pilot flying about 800 feet above the ground, in the vicinity of snow showers, near mountainous terrain. Witnesses that resided near the accident site reported seeing snow showers throughout the day. They heard an airplane make two passes overhead, an engine revved to full power, then silence. The reported ceiling at an airport approximately 20 miles from the accident site was 600 feet overcast.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC conditions. Factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and snow showers.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WILLARD
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41181
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1122 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 828
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 75
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 1:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3448V
NTSB Number NYC00FA068
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 195
Aircraft Series Identifier 195
Aircraft Serial Number 7138
Certified Max Gross Weight 3150
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 18 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALTON E. CIANCHETTE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 414 LIBBY HILL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PALMYRA
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04965
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PKB
Departure City PARKERSBURG
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SPG
Destination City ST. PETERSBURG
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --