Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Walnut Ridge Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Egypt, Arkansas 72427
Tuesady, December 24, 2002 9:54 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight for which the instrument rated commercial pilot limited his weather briefing, filed an IFR flight plan, and received an ATC clearance. Approximately 13 minutes after departure, the 1,027-hour pilot, sole occupant, reported the airplane was accumulating ice, requested and was cleared to descend the airplane from 5,000 to 4,000 feet msl. Subsequently, the pilot requested and was cleared to descend to 3,000 feet, and proceed direct to the initial approach fix for the RNAV(GPS) 36 non-precision approach for landing at an alternate airport. No distress call or additional ATC communications with the pilot were recorded. The airplane impacted trees and terrain approximately 17 nautical miles south of the airport. Tree deformation, ground scars, and craters, were consistent with a near vertical impact. The NTSB meteorological study revealed that instrument meteorological conditions with low ceilings, reduced visibility, light rain, mist, and drizzle prevailed at the departure airport and along the flight route. The low-level vertical temperature profile in the accident area was likely the following; 1 degree Celsius at the surface, minus 3 degrees at 3,000 feet, freezing level at 5,000 feet, and above freezing at 7,000-8,000 feet. SLD was likely present in the accident area at and below 5,00 feet and produced moderate to severe clear icing on the airframe in the minutes prior to the accident. The investigation revealed the airplane was equipped with alcohol propellers; however, the impact and thermal destruction precluded a determination of the operational status of the anti-ice system. Both propellers exhibited physical evidence (blade bending and twisting) consistent with high power ( at or near the low pitch range) and rotation (symmetrical energy) at impact. No evidence of an in-flight mechanical or flight control malfunction was found that would have rendered the airplane uncontrollable prior to the impact. GPS was not approved for IFR. After the accident, the RNAV(GPS) 36 approach was flight checked by the FAA, and all components were found to be operating within prescribed tolerances.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadvertent flight into severe icing conditions. A contributing factor was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/24/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 954 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Egypt |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72427 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 355142N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0905806W |
| Event Location Airport | Walnut Ridge Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ARG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 17.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 188 |
| Airport Elevation | 273 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Partial - limited by pilot |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 8 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ARG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 273 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 17 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.8 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15133 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 24 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1100 |
| 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 | Little Rock, Arkansas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5TV |
| NTSB Number | FTW03FA064 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | BE-58 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | TH-193 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5400 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 5 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3637.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Eddie W. Thomas, Jr. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 117 Little John Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Hardy |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72542 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | CVK |
| Departure City | Ash Flat |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 921 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | JBR |
| Destination City | Jonesboro |
| Destination State | AR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2004 2:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 5001 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |