Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gladewater, Texas 75647
Friday, June 29, 2001 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The non-instrument rated private pilot was practicing maneuvers with broken cloud conditions. She allowed the airplane to ascend into a "hazy area and noticed clouds were beginning to close around me." She added that she flew the airplane toward a "hole to descend through the clouds. [The] haze increased and [she] continued towards the opening but wound up in a cloud." She stated that she immediately experienced "vertigo and got into [an] unusual attitude." During the unusual attitude recovery, the front windshield and right rear windshield separated from the airplane. The pilot then made an uneventful landing. Examination of the airplane revealed structural damage to the wings, wing struts, and horizontal stabilizer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadvertent visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions while maneuvering, which resulted in her spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of control of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Gladewater
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75647
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 6
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11493
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2002 1:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Dallas, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8641T
NTSB Number FTW01LA206
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 52541
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 May 27 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 6275.5
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TLM Properties LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 1147
Aircraft Owner City Gladewater
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75647
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Mary J. Todd
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 22164 Mixon Road
Operator City Troup
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 75789
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 07F
Departure City GLADEWATER
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 14 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --