None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Valley Spring, Texas 78643
Sunday, February 22, 2004 10:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Prior to departure, the 580-hour, non-instrument rated private pilot obtained two weather briefings from an automated flight service station (FSS). A briefer reported that an AIRMET for IFR conditions was in affect and VFR was not recommended across the proposed route of flight. The AIRMET for IFR conditions would continue beyond 0900 and end at 1200. In addition, a briefer told the pilot to contact FSS while en route and obtain weather advisories. The pilot departed about 0915, and there are no records that he contacted FSS while airborne. Examination of the last one minute of data revealed the target was at an altitude of 5,400 feet msl, on a heading of 102 degrees at 158 knots, when it made a right 180-degree turn, before the data ended at 1039. A witness said the weather conditions at the time were light drizzle, haze, limited visibility, and that it had been raining, but had "just let up." He heard the airplane circle overhead for several minutes followed by a loud explosion at 1045. According to FAA Flight Training Handbook Advisory Circular (AC) 61-21A, "If neither horizon or surface references exist, the airplane's attitude must be determined by artificial means - an attitude indicator or other flight instruments. Sight, supported by other senses such as the inner ear and muscle sense, is used to maintain spatial orientation. However, during periods of low visibility, the supporting senses sometimes conflict with what is seen. When this happens, a pilot is particularly vulnerable to spatial disorientation." A toxicology report detected hydrocodone, a narcotic analgesic, in the pilot's liver and kidney. Since blood was not available for testing, it is not possible to determine when the pilot may have ingested the prescribed medication or whether he may have been impaired from it. Hydrocodone may cause some people to become drowsy, dizzy, or lightheaded. According to an FAA flight surgeon, using hydrocodone within 24 hours of flying is not recommended.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather and failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering in instrument meteorological conditions, due to spatial disorientation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Valley Spring
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78643
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 305259N
Event Location Longitude 0984647W
Event Location Airport None
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 97
Weather Observation Facility ID BMQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1284
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
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) 16513
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Feb 22 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Antonio Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6175Y
NTSB Number FTW04FA079
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 210N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21064280
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5923.6
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William R. Baley
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5915 Carolina Cove Drive
Aircraft Owner City Richmond
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77469
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 MAF
Departure City Midland
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SGR
Destination City Sugarland
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2004 3:54PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --