Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Double Springs, Alabama 35553
Friday, March 31, 2006 20:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed Pine Bluff, Arkansas on a local flight and landed in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The pilot informed a lineman after landing that he had been flying for 60 years and that he was lost, almost out of gas, did not have any maps, and he did not know how to get home. An attempt was made by the lineman to fly with the pilot back to Pine Bluff or drive him home in a car. The pilot declined the offer. The pilot departed Clarksdale enroute to Pine Bluff. A witness located in the vicinity of Double Springs, Alabama, observed the airplane approaching his location at a very low altitude above the trees. The airplane turned to the left, flew over a day care center, made another turn, and flew towards the south. A short time later the witness heard an impact noise. The witness informed his mother he thought an airplane had crashed. They both departed to a friends house located in the vicinity of the crash site, went to the edge of a wood line and observed a flashing red light. They called out to see if any one would answer, the pilot responded and walked out of the wood line. The pilot informed them he had been involved in a vehicle accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the right wing was accelerated forward. The left wing was separated from the airframe and the leading edge of the wing was compressed inward. The left and right flaps were fully extended. No anomalies were noted with the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly and accessories. The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he had no idea how he ended up in Double Springs, Alabama. The pilot had been diagnosed by his private physician with dementia since 2003, but had concealed that diagnosis from the FAA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall. A factor in the accident was the pilot's physical impairment due to dementia and his failure to report the medical condition to the aviation medical examiner..

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2015
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Double Springs
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35553
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 340950N
Event Location Longitude 0872528W
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 2053 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20408
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Mar 31 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 12 2006 10:15AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Birmingham FSDO-09

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2157V
NTSB Number ATL06LA058
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 182T
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18281282
Certified Max Gross Weight -3100
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 Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 51
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wings South Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 613B Hangar Row
Aircraft Owner City Pine Bluff
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71601
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 KCKM
Departure City Clarksdale
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KPBF
Destination City Pine Bluff
Destination State AR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2006 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
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 --