Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Groton - New London Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Groton, Connecticut 06340
Monday, June 27, 2005 13:20 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane impacted water during its second ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach to runway 5. Review of recorded radar data revealed that during the first approach, the airplane made several excursions to the right and left of the inbound course centerline. A tower controller observed the airplane "break out" of the clouds at 200 feet, left of the runway centerline. The airplane appeared to be headed straight for the control tower when the flight radioed a request to conduct a "circle to land." The airplane then continued into a cloud layer, and the controller instructed the pilot to "execute the published missed approach." The last radar target recorded prior to initiation of the missed approach placed the airplane at a Mode C altitude of 100 feet msl, about 1/2 mile from the runway threshold and 1/2 mile left of the course centerline. The flight was instructed to contact approach control and then received vectors for a second ILS approach. About 30 minutes later, the airplane was again established on the ILS Runway 5 approach. The tower controller cleared the flight to land, which was acknowledged. The tower controller then observed a target on his radar scope, identified as the accident airplane, that appeared to be left of the final approach course. The controller informed the flight that the airplane was left of course; however, no response was received. Radar data for the second approach showed a track similar to the first approach with several excursions to the right and left of the inbound course centerline. The last recorded radar hit placed the airplane at a mode C altitude of 400 feet msl, about 1 and 1/2 miles from the runway threshold and slightly left of course. Several witnesses in the area of the accident site recalled hearing an airplane about the time of the accident. The engine sounded normal, until rpm increased, followed by the sound of an impact. None of the witnesses observed the airplane due to the low visibility in the area. About 8 minutes after the accident, a floating debris field was located about 1.15 miles from the approach end of runway 5, on a 051-degree bearing. Pilots who had conducted approaches to runway 5, both prior to and after the accident airplane's first approach to the runway, recalled breaking out of the cloud layer around 200 to 250 feet above the ground. None of the pilots recalled any abnormalities with the ILS while conducting an approach to runway 5. Damage observed on the recovered wreckage was consistent with the airplane impacting the water in an uncontrolled descent. Examination of the recovered wreckage revealed no evidence suggesting mechanical malfunction or failure.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while executing an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach to minimums.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/27/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1320 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Groton |
| Event State | CONNECTICUT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 06340 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 411811N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0720301W |
| Event Location Airport | Groton - New London Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GON |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 9 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1327 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GON |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 9 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 200 |
| 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) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22533 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NEROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 27 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2007 8:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Windsor Locks, CT |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5155N |
| NTSB Number | NYC05FA109 |
| 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 | 182Q |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18267548 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2960 |
| 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 | May 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 198 |
| Airframe Hours | 2393 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Herbert K. Rollins |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Phoenix |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85044 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PWM |
| Departure City | Portland |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1130 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | GON |
| Destination City | Groton |
| Destination State | CT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker to threshold (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 23 2007 3:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 5 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |