Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Siassconset, Massachusetts 02554
Friday, August 17, 2007 20:21 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated pilot was conducting a night VFR flight to his destination airport. As the pilot neared the airport, he initiated a descent and established radio contact with the control tower. The controller pointed out traffic and instructed the pilot to continue for runway 24. The pilot continued his descent and was informed by the controller that the airport was changing to IFR and instructed the pilot to contact approach control. A low layer of clouds had moved into the area. The pilot contacted the approach controller and asked if he could perform the ILS runway 24 approach. The controller started vectoring the pilot for a left downwind, and asked the pilot if he was instrument qualified and current. The pilot replied, "We are IFR qualified," even though he was not. The controller informed the pilot to turn left to a heading and the pilot responded by saying he was turning right The controller again instructed the pilot to turn to the left, expect the ILS runway 24 approach, and to advise that he had the current airport information. The pilot responded by saying he was turning right and that he would pick up the airport information. The controller informed the pilot that it was not a right turn, and informed the pilot he had turned in the wrong direction on the last turn and to turn to the left. The pilot replied that he was turning to the left to the assigned heading. The controller asked the pilot what his type of airplane was, and the pilot replied, "Cirrus I had to pull the parachute." The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB that he was struggling to keep the airplane level; he was in instrument conditions, in a black hole without a visible horizon or ambient light, and that he became spatially disoriented and pulled the parachute. Advisory Circular 60-4A states in part, "The attitude of an aircraft is generally determined by reference to the natural horizon or other visual references with the surface. If neither horizon nor surface references exist, the attitude of an aircraft must be determined by artificial means from the flight instruments. Sight, supported by other senses, allows the pilot to maintain orientation. However; during periods of low visibility, the supporting senses sometimes conflict with what is seen. When this happens, a pilot is particularly vulnerable to disorientation." Because of the clouds that had moved into the area, the pilot likely could not distinguish ground cues that would have helped him determine the airplanes attitude. Without an instrument rating, the pilot was unable to use his flight instruments to help him successfully orient and land the airplane. Had the pilot informed the controller that he was not instrument rated, the controller may have been able to instruct the pilot to climb to visual flight conditions and land at another VFR airport.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-instrument rated pilot's loss of control at night in instrument flight conditions due to spatial disorientation. A factor was the pilot's in-flight decision not to inform the controller that he was not instrument rated.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/17/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2021 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Siassconset |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02554 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 411508N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0695830W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| 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 | 2018 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 130 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KACK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 48 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.82 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22614 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NEROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 18 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2007 6:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Boston FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N869CD |
| NTSB Number | ATL07LA115 |
| 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 | Cirrus Design Corp. |
| Aircraft Model | SR20 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1421 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 140 |
| Airframe Hours | 371 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Thomas Jackson |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6 prospect Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Nantucket |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 02554 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Thomas Jackson |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 7 East 78th Street #1B |
| Operator City | New York |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 10021 |
| 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 | KHPN |
| Departure City | White Plains |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1901 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KACK |
| Destination City | Nantucket |
| Destination State | MA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2007 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |