Hendersonville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Flat Rock, North Carolina 28731
Saturday, October 23, 2004 9:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Review of records revealed the pilot was cleared for departure, and at 0942 radar contact was established with the airplane, and the pilot was instructed to turn left direct Sugarloaf VOR. Witnesses estimated the weather to be 200-300 feet overcast with 1 1/2 miles visibility in fog. At 0945, radar contact was lost with the airplane. Examination of the wreckage site revealed the downed airplane was located approximately four miles east from the Hendersonville Airport, at the base of a hill in a nose down attitude. All flight control surfaces, flight controls, engine and propeller were located at the site. Post accident examination of the engine revealed the crankshaft was rotated and valve train movement was confirmed to all of the cylinders, oil pump, and pistons. The three propeller blades displayed chord-wise scoring, and the blades were bent aft. The left and right wing assemblies were attached to the fuselage and crush damaged. The cockpit and empennage was crushed damaged. The vertical and horizontal flight surfaces and controls were crush damaged. From Advisory Circular 61-23C (Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge), revised 1997: Chapter 9 - Spatial Disorientation and Illusions in Flight Many different illusions can be experienced in flight. Some can lead to spatial disorientation. Others can lead to landing errors. Illusions rank among the most common factors cited as contributing to fatal aircraft accidents. Various complex motions and forces and certain visual scenes encountered in flight can create illusions of motion and position. Spatial disorientation from these illusions can be prevented only by visual reference to reliable, fixed points on the ground or to flight instruments. The most overwhelming of all illusions in flight may be prevented by not making sudden, extreme head movements, particularly while making prolonged constant-rate turns under instrument flight rule instrument conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot experienced spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of control and the subsequent collision with the ground. Factors were low ceilings and fog.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/23/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Flat Rock
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28731
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 351856N
Event Location Longitude 0822111W
Event Location Airport HENDERSONVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0A7
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2084
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1054 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
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) 18876
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 23 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 Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-33 CLT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N18303
NTSB Number ATL05FA008
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 Beech
Aircraft Model F33A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CE-725
Certified Max Gross Weight 3500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2915.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James L. Jurnigan
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6504 W Knights Griffin Rd
Aircraft Owner City Plant City
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33565
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 0A7
Departure City HENDERSONVILLE
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVG
Destination City PORTSMOUTH
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 11 2005 2:06PM
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 --