Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brownville Jct, Maine 04415
Friday, October 11, 2002 20:38 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on a cross country flight at night, into an area of mountainous terrain. Prior to departure, the pilot's student, who remained behind, expressed his concern about the marginal weather conditions, and told the pilot to watch out for a 5,268-foot mountain located along the route of flight. The student pilot was also concerned because he knew the pilot liked to fly at lower altitudes, between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. Approximately 40 minutes after departure, the airplane collided with a 2,630-foot mountain at the 2,575-foot level. Weather, reported at an airport about 20 nautical miles to the northeast of the accident site, included a scattered cloud layer at 3,200 feet and an overcast cloud layer at 4,300 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude while flying in mountainous terrain at night. A factor was the night lighting conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/11/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2038
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BROWNVILLE JCT
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04415
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 453055N
Event Location Longitude 0690739W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2058 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID MLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 408
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 4300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.49
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 14029
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 12 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office PORTLAND FAA/FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100TY
NTSB Number IAD03FA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18280835
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 11 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 362.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEX TRANSPORTATION, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City KEENE
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03431
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 CAR
Departure City CARIBOU
Departure State ME
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OWK
Destination City NORRIDGEWOCK
Destination State ME
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 23 2003 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --