Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Union City, Ohio 45390
Sunday, October 9, 2005 19:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was destroyed when it impacted the ground and subsequently burned. The airplane was being operated by a non-instrument rated private pilot who was fatally injured during the accident. Weather reporting stations near the accident site recorded instrument meteorological conditions with low ceilings and reduced visibilities. There was no record of the pilot having received a weather briefing or filing a flight plan for the flight. On-scene examination of the airplane and its systems did not reveal any evidence of a pre-impact failure.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to perform a preflight weather evaluation which led to his inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his spatial disorientation. The low ceilings and the dark night were contributing factors.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Union City
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 45390
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401849N
Event Location Longitude 0844640W
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 1956 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 99
Weather Observation Facility ID I12
Elevation of weather observation facility 1044
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
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) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Accident site: Union City, Ohio Accident Date/ti
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) 20816
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2007 9:40AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Cincinnati, Ohio

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6085R
NTSB Number CHI06LA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0077
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Jun 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6498
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Edwin F. Casto
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2 Easy Streer
Aircraft Owner City Springfield
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code D96
Departure City COLDWATER
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Lexington
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 6 2006 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
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 --