Patrick Henry Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newport News, Virginia 23602
Saturday, February 4, 1984 20:33 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE FOR APRX 38 MINS WHEN THE PILOT BEGAN EXPERIENCING COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS. NINE MINUTES LATER THE PILOT REPORTED 'INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS' AND BEGAN TO RECEIVE RADAR VECTORS TO A LANDING. 15 MINUTES LATER SHE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND SAID HER MAG COMPASS AND DIRECTIONAL GYRO HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND BEGAN RECEIVING NO GYRO RADAR VECTORS AT 1000 FEET MSL. AFTER RECEIVING THREE NO GYRO TURNS SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO 'STOP TURN.' TWENTY FIVE SECONDS LATER SHE SAID 'I'M, I'M STARTING TO SPIN.' NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED APRX 3 MILES WEST OF THE INTENDED LANDING AIRPORT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, THE DIRECTIONAL GYRO, BOTH VACUUM PUMPS AND RELATED COMPONENTS INDICATED THAT THEY WERE FUNCTIONING UPON IMPACT. THE ACCURACY OF THE INSTRUMENT INDICATIONS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED HOWEVER, DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. AIRCRAFT LOGS REVEALED NO PREVIOUS INSTRUMENT SYSTEM WRITE-UPS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/4/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2033
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEWPORT NEWS
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23602
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PATRICK HENRY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHF
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 37
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2038 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID PHF
Elevation of weather observation facility 37
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
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) 29
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) 1641
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25461
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8437Z
NTSB Number ATL84FA092
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 210
Aircraft Series Identifier 210
Aircraft Serial Number 2050437
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 21 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 3558
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILTON II INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address WILTON CREEK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City HARTFIELD
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23071
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PATRICK HENRY AIRPORT
Operator City NEWPORT NEWS
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23602
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IAD
Departure City WASHINGTON
Departure State DC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1924
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 8003
Runway Width 15
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --