Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kingman, Arizona 86401
Sunday, March 19, 2006 19:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with a mountain located between the departure and destination airports during a night cross-country flight that included an encounter with instrument meteorological conditions. There was no indication that the noninstrument rated private pilot had ever flown over the accident route, which consisted of flat terrain interspersed with mountains, prior to the accident flight. The pilot utilized his global positioning satellite (GPS) unit for navigation purposes, and reportedly was very comfortable using it. Recorded radar data was used to track the flight from departure to near the accident site. The majority of the radar returns were uniformly spaced and followed an anticipated track towards the destination airport. Radar returns revealed a gradual increase in altitude over about a 9-minute duration, from 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl), until radar contact was lost at 9,100 feet msl. The last radar return was about 0.62 nm from the accident location. The accident site was located on a mountain side at an elevation of 5,450 feet. Analysis of weather data disclosed that the cloud bases were near 5,100 feet, and the tops above 11,000 feet msl. The freezing level was about 6,000 feet msl, with light to moderate icing likely above the freezing level. Satellite imagery was reviewed around the time of the accident, and disclosed that an extensive area of overcast skies existed in the vicinity of the accident site. The wreckage and the ground scars were consistent with a high speed descending flight path. During postaccident examinations, investigators found no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The noninstrument rated pilot's cruise flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent, and an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors associated with the accident are clouds/obscuration, the pilot's spatial disorientation, and his inadequate in-flight planning and decision making.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1940
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Kingman
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86401
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 341534N
Event Location Longitude 1135717W
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 1759 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID IGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3384
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
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) 29.71
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) 21267
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Mar 19 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2007 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SDL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41PT
NTSB Number LAX06FA130
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 Beech
Aircraft Model F33A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CE-1175
Certified Max Gross Weight 4420
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 5
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 57
Airframe Hours 1237.64
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John Kenneth Orms
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Scottsdale
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85258
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 HND
Departure City Las Vegas
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SDL
Destination City Scottsdale
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2007 6:07PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
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 --