Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlotte, North Carolina 28242
Sunday, December 31, 2006 11:24 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While receiving vectors for an instrument approach, the pilot had difficulty maintaining his assigned heading and altitude. The air traffic controller issued numerous vectors to the pilot to assist him on the approach, and instructed him to "check [his] altitude," when he observed the airplane was 400 feet too low. Witnesses observed the airplane emerge from the base of a cloud deck, in a nose-dive, then break apart prior to impacting the ground. An examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. Sections of the left wing exhibited upward loading. The pilot reported 465 hours of total flight experience, and 7.8 hours of total actual instrument experience. The pilot's most recent actual instrument experience was 1 hour, recorded 3 months prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/31/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1124
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Charlotte
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28242
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 351352N
Event Location Longitude 0805405W
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 1100 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 748
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.31
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) 23255
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region
NTSB Notification Date Dec 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 Mar 31 2008 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office CLT FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7090S
NTSB Number NYC07FA052
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 TR182
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number R18201696
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 May 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2134
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James Chitty
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Shelby
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28150
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 MQI
Departure City MANTEO
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EHO
Destination City SHELBY
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 7 2008 2:07PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
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 --