Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Piedmont Triad International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Greensboro, North Carolina 27402
Friday, October 25, 2002 12:39 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During an approach into Smith Reynolds Airport, Winston Salem, North Carolina, the pilot declared an emergency due to disorientation and conducted a missed approach. The pilot made two unsuccessful attempts to land at Smith Reynolds Airport, and then diverted to Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU). While enroute to RDU the pilot was concerned about his fuel supply and decided to divert to Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, North Carolina. While the airplane was being radar vectored for the runway 23-localizer radar contact was lost, and the airplane collided with the ground. Examination of the wreckage site revealed the airplane came to rest in a heavily wooded and swampy area near the outer marker. The main fuselage was buried in approximately 10 feet of mud and water in a nose down attitude with the horizontal and vertical stabilizers protruding above the ground. The accident site was approximately 25 feet in diameter, and all flight control surfaces were located at the site. The pilot did not report any flight control or mechanical abnormalities. The 1254 weather observation for Piedmont Triad International Airport, Greensboro, reported winds zero four zero at seven knots, visibility one half statue mile, mist, one hundred overcast, temperature 11 degrees, dew point 11degrees, altimeter 30.22 inches. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular #60-4A: during periods of low visibility a pilot is particularly vulnerable to spatial disorientation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot experienced spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of control and the subsequent collision with the ground. Factors were low ceilings and fog.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/25/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1239 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Greensboro |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 27402 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 365108N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0795614W |
| Event Location Airport | PIEDMONT TRIAD INTERNATIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GSO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 5 |
| Airport Elevation | 926 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1347 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 5 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GSO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 926 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 6000 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 302 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15057 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 25 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1730 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 30 2004 8:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Greensboro FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4629S |
| NTSB Number | ATL03FA010 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | R182 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | R18201361 |
| 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 | Jun 7 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3084 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Duboy and Fisher Incorporated |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO Box 7768 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Winter Haven |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33883 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Alberto Duboy |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1226 Jefferson Drive |
| Operator City | Lakeland |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33803 |
| 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 | BOW |
| Departure City | BARTOW |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GSO |
| Destination City | GREENSBORO |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - Initial approach fix (IAF) to final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 13 2004 2:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 10000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |