Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Drake Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
Thursday, March 20, 2003 19:10 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 184-hour instrument rated private pilot was executing the LDA/DME RWY 34 instrument approach in actual instrument meteorological conditions when the airplane collided with trees approximately six miles south of the runway. Radar data indicated that the airplane was never stabilized on the approach, and had descended below the published minimum altitudes. The pilot reported that when the airplane crossed over the AWEMO intersection (final approach fix) it was at an altitude of 3,100 feet msl. The pilot felt that was high, so he continued to descend as he proceeded toward the next intersection, TRIUM. The pilot said that the airplane crossed the TRIUM intersection at an altitude of 2,600 feet msl, which he thought was high. He considered increasing the descent rate, but the airplane impacted trees. The radar data also indicated that the airplane had never reached the TRIUM intersection. A review of the LDA/DME RWY 34 approach plate revealed that the minimum crossing altitude at the AWEMO intersection was 4,000 feet msl, and 3,000 feet msl at the TRIUM intersection. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or the engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to fly a stabilized, published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain. Factors were the low clouds and night conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/20/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1910 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Fayetteville |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72701 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 355455N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0940935W |
| Event Location Airport | Drake Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FYV |
| 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 | 160 |
| Airport Elevation | 1251 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1853 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 340 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FYV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1251 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.7 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19989 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 20 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2038 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 29 2006 3:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Little Rock, Arkansas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N97TD |
| NTSB Number | FTW03FA114 |
| 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 | 182S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18280012 |
| 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 | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1.6 |
| Airframe Hours | 1848.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Cessna Employees Flying Club |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1780 Airport Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wichita |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 67209 |
| 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 | ICT |
| Departure City | Wichita |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1750 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FYV |
| Destination City | Fayetteville |
| Destination State | AR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker to threshold (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 13 2006 3:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 6006 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |