Providence Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

No. Kingstown, Rhode Island 02852
Saturday, July 30, 1988 5:03 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT DEPARTED WILMINGTON, DE, ON AN IFR FLT PLAN EN ROUTE TO BLOCK ISLAND. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AS HE PASSED THE HAMPTON VOR HE SAW FOG OBSCURING THE GROUND. UPON REACHING THE DESTINATION, BOSTON CENTER CLEARED THE ACFT FOR THE APCH TO BLOCK ISLAND. THE PLT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO SHOOT THE APCH DUE TO LOW FUEL AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE TO A CLEAR AREA OR TO AN ILS APCH. BOSTON CENTER VECTORED THE ACFT TO THE GROTON ARPT WHERE THE PLT MADE AT LEAST FOUR ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS THEN VECTORED TO WESTERLY, WHERE ONCE AGAIN THE ARPT COULD NOT BE LOCATED DUE TO WX. THE ACFT WAS BEING VECTORED TO PROVIDENCE WHEN FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS EXPERIENCED AND THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN THE NARRAGANSET BAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE BOSTON CENTER CONTROLLER TO ADEQUATELY UNDERSTAND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S REQUEST AND TO ASSESS THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 503
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NO. KINGSTOWN
Event State RHODE ISLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02852
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PROVIDENCE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVO
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 415 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID PVD
Elevation of weather observation facility 55
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2502
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39785
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N19699
NTSB Number NYC88LA199
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 172L
Aircraft Series Identifier 172L
Aircraft Serial Number 60681
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Jul 12 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 2020
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN, A YARNALL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 825 N.W. 13TH ST. #220
Aircraft Owner City BOCA RATON
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33486
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEPHEN A. YARNELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 825 NW 13TH STREET
Operator City BOCA RATON
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33486
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 ILG
Departure City WILMINGTON
Departure State DE
Departure Country
Departure Time 130
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BID
Destination City BLOCK ISLAND
Destination State RI
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --