Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Knottsville, Kentucky 42303
Friday, December 31, 2004 18:35 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot departed on the 550-mile trip with an unknown quantity of fuel in visual meteorological conditions. He had 125 total hours of flight experience, and did not possess an instrument rating. There was no record of the pilot obtaining a weather briefing, nor did he file a flight plan. About 4 hours into the flight, and during the hours of darkness, the pilot reported that the airplane was in instrument meteorological conditions, and requested assistance from air traffic control. The conversation between the pilot and the controller continued for several minutes as they discussed weather conditions at various destinations along and around the pilot's intended course. During the conversations, the airplane completed a series of left and right 360-degree turns, and figure-8 maneuvers, as the airplane climbed and descended between 7,000 feet and 10,200 feet. As the airplane continued to circle, the controller issued a heading and suggested the pilot check his heading indicator in relation to his magnetic compass. The pilot replied, "...we're trying to keep it under control and get back to the stars here so we got a reference point." Over the next 5 minutes, the airplane completed three 360-degree right turns. The final radar plots depicted a descending turn to the right, about 9,800 feet, and then the target disappeared. Examination of the wreckage at the scene revealed no mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's loss of control in flight due to spatial disorientation. Also causal to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in his inadvertent flight into night instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/31/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Knottsville
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42303
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374559N
Event Location Longitude 0865228W
Event Location Airport --
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1820 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID OWB
Elevation of weather observation facility 407
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.76
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18986
NTSB Notification Source FAA SROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 31 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2100
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 Louisville, KY

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6225E
NTSB Number IAD05LA028
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 46325
Certified Max Gross Weight 2250
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 3800
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Cecil A. Lewis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sorrento
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70776
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 L38
Departure City GONZALES
Departure State LA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code I42
Destination City PAOLI
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 6 2005 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --