Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ocean City Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Friday, March 15, 2002 19:35 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was over water, making a night VFR approach to a coastal airport. Witnesses observed it suddenly transition from horizontal flight, to a vertical descent into the ocean. According to a witness flying in the area at the time, the accident airplane went over a "black hole," and he saw "strobe over strobe" before it disappeared. The witness also noted that disorientation around the airport at night was common because of the ocean. The accident occurred on a clear, dark night, with no illumination from the moon. Examination of the airframe, systems, avionics, and engine did not reveal any evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction. Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that the left wing leading edge was crushed aft, to the wing spar. The pilot was not instrument-rated, but had received instrument training under a hood in VFR conditions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's spatial disorientation, which resulted in his subsequent loss of control of the airplane. A factor was the dark night, over water visual conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/15/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1935 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Ocean City |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21842 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381737N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0750602W |
| Event Location Airport | Ocean City Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | OXB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 11 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 320 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OXB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 11 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 152353Z AUTO 21013KT 10SM CLR 15/12 A2996 RMK AO2 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13488 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 16 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 120 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 30 2003 9:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baltimore, Maryland |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N96811 |
| NTSB Number | IAD02FA037 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | Y |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17276118 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 10 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 10868.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Columbus Swonger |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chester |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21619 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | W29 |
| Departure City | Stevensville |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1830 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | OXB |
| Destination City | Ocean City |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - turn to base |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 17 2003 11:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | COXP |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 3201 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |