Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Seneca County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tiffin, Ohio 44883
Sunday, September 18, 2005 10:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
When the pilot arrived at the airport, the weather included an estimated ceiling "about treetop level," and the visibility was about 1/2 mile due to fog. The pilot carried on a conversation with the airport manager for about an hour, then drove over to his hangar to "wash the windshield of his airplane." Witnesses then heard the airplane depart, but could not see it due to fog and the low ceiling. One witness said, "I just heard him takeoff. I was surprised that anyone would takeoff in those weather conditions." The published takeoff minimums for the airport were ceiling 300 feet, with 1 mile visibility. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 1 minute after takeoff, and pieces of angularly cut wood were found along the 400-foot wreckage path. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any pre-impact failures or malfunctions. Interviews and FAA records showed that the pilot was instrument rated, but did not obtain a weather briefing or file a flight plan prior to departure. Toxicological testing of the pilot revealed the presence of prescription stimulants and antidepressants. The extent to which these drugs may have affected the pilot could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to takeoff in weather below the published takeoff minimums, which resulted in spatial disorientation and the airplane's collision with trees and terrain. Factors in the accident were the instrument meteorological conditions, and the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/18/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1045 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Tiffin |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 44883 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 410523N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0831227W |
| Event Location Airport | SENECA COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 16G |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 786 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1032 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FDY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 813 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 21 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 800 |
| 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) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| 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) | 20515 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Great Lakes |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 18 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2006 8:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Cleveland, Ohio |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9311P |
| NTSB Number | IAD05LA137 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-24-260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-4807 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| 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 | Sep 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4449 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Stambaugh Packaging Co |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Willard |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44890 |
| 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 | 16G |
| Departure City | TIFFIN |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1044 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 16G |
| Destination City | Tiffin |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 7 2006 11:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |