Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Augusta Regional At Bush Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
North Augusta, South Carolina 29841
Monday, April 12, 2004 10:08 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight departed on an IFR flight plan, did not proceed on its northwest course as directed, and did not maintain a consistent heading or altitude. The flight continued in a southwest direction, and the pilot elected to land the airplane. An air traffic controller provided altitude and heading assignments for a surveillance approach, and the pilot did not maintain the assigned headings and altitudes. The controller stated to the pilot the low altitude alert indicated 600 feet, and he instructed the pilot to climb. A witness on the ground saw the airplane flying erratically beneath the clouds at treetop height, then it dipped right then left and nosed down into trees and the ground. Examination of the airframe, engine, and components revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. A review of the pilot's log book revealed he logged 13.9 hours actual instrument time and 102.4 hours simulated instrument time. A witness at the departure airport stated the pilot checked the weather, and he overheard the pilot "talking about flying south to avoid rain, and then heading west from there." A review of WSR-88D Doppler Weather Radar Level III images revealed an area of precipitation was approximately 10 miles west of the departure airport and extended approximately 20 miles from north to south; the location of the accident site corresponded with the southeast edge of the precipitation area. An instrument-rated pilot who was monitoring the air traffic control frequencies as the accident flight was being vectored for the approach at Augusta Regional at Bush Field stated he heard the pilot state on the radio he was trying to fly through holes in the clouds.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent in-flight collision with trees and the ground.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/12/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1008 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | North Augusta |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29841 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 333030N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0815714W |
| Event Location Airport | Augusta Regional at Bush Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KAGS |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8.6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 10 |
| Airport Elevation | 145 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 190 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAGS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 145 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 9 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 700 |
| 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) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.74 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1005 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18067 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 12 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FSDO - 13 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N364ME |
| NTSB Number | ATL04FA093 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 182S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18280853 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 130 |
| Airframe Hours | 387.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | William C. Cuntz Jr. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2344 Foothills Dr S |
| Aircraft Owner City | Golden |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80401 |
| 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 | KAIK |
| Departure City | Aiken |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 939 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KGLH |
| Destination City | Greenville |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 31 2005 2:13PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| 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 | -- |