Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Zanesville, Ohio 43701
Sunday, September 18, 1988 6:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE VFR PILOT AND HIS STUDENT PILOT RATED RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH EXTREMELY RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES DUE TO DENSE FOG (WITNESSES ESTIMATED AS LITTLE AS 15 FEET VISIBILITY IN AREAS). ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND IMPACTED AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN NORTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. A LOCAL RESIDENT REPORTED HEARING THE SOUND OF AN ENGINE, LOUD AND RUNNING STEADY, COMING TOWARD HIS HOUSE. HE HEARD A THUD AND THE ENGINE NOISE QUIT. HE STATED THAT IT SOUNDED SO CLOSE THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEWSPAPER DELIVERY TRUCK ON THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND IT'S OCCUPANTS WERE DISCOVERED ABOUT 4 HOURS LATER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT AIRFRAME/ENGINE/SYSTEM MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT FREQUENTLY OPERATED IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING, AND HIS OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITY WHICH LED TO HIS REPEATED DECISIONS TO OPERATE HIS AIRCRAFT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE FACT THAT THE PILOT HAD OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WITHOUT INCIDENT ON NUMEROUS PREVIOUS OCCASIONS CONTRIBUTED TO HIS OVER CONFIDENCE/ EXPECTANCY ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 615
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ZANESVILLE
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43701
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID ZZV
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 65
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
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 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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2486
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1722
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39645
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9877C
NTSB Number CHI88FA237
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 182RG
Aircraft Serial Number R18200478
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 29 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 1379
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PHILLIP C. SNYDER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2751 E. RIDGEWOOD CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City ZANESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43701
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 42T
Departure City ZANESVILLE
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --