Key Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meridian, Mississippi 39301
Friday, December 29, 1989 12:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 1151, WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN APPROACH, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ENCOUNTERING 'A LITTLE CHOP AND RAIN' AND REQUESTED A DESCENT. AT 1159, WHILE BEING VECTORED AROUND WEATHER, THE PILOT REPORTED'...I CANNOT HOLD MY ALTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE CRASH SITE INDICATED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH TREES IN A NOSE DOWN NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THE PILOT'S WIFE STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE FLYING ON INSTRUMENTS AND THAT HE WAS AFRAID HE MIGHT ENCOUNTER VERTIGO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION TOWARD INSTRUMENT FLYING AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MERIDIAN
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39301
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KEY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MEI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport 120
Airport Elevation 297
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1201 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MEI
Elevation of weather observation facility 297
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
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) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 400
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1626
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40511
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N733FK
NTSB Number MIA90FA046
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17268260
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 Sep 4 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 3074
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BABER'S FIRESTONE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1730 DENNY AVE.
Aircraft Owner City PASCAGOULA
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39567
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 TCL
Departure City TUSCALOOSA
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1059
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MEI
Destination City MERIDIAN
Destination State MS
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 1
Runway Length 8004
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --