Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Warrenton-Fauquier Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Warrenton, Virginia 22728
Sunday, December 9, 2007 20:50 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was conducting a GPS approach to his home airport, during night, instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane was established on the inbound course, when it crossed the final approach fix at the required crossing altitude (2,200 feet). The airplane then continued a gradual descent until it impacted trees about 4 miles from the airport, on the same heading as the inbound course for the approach. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. The pilot had accumulated 683 hours of total flight experience, 67 of which were in actual instrument conditions. The pilot completed his most recent instrument proficiency check (IPC) 5 months prior to the accident, during which he performed four instrument approaches in a simulator (none of which included instrument approaches to the destination airport, which was also his home airport). After the IPC, the pilot accumulated 8.4 hours of actual instrument flight time; however, he did not log any instrument approaches. At the time of the accident, weather included overcast clouds at 300 feet, 1 mile visibility, temperature 6 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 6 degrees C. An employee of the fixed base operator at the airport stated that no other aircraft came into the airport on the day of the accident, as it was "very foggy" all day.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach procedure and his failure to maintain the minimum descent altitude which resulted in collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident were the night, instrument meteorological conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/9/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 2050 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Warrenton |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 22728 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 383729N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0774511W |
| Event Location Airport | Warrenton-Fauquier Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W66 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 336 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2046 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HEF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 192 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.3 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24578 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 9 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 22 2008 1:21PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | AAI-100 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5481D |
| NTSB Number | NYC08FA056 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BEECH |
| Aircraft Model | H35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-4988 |
| 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 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5907 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Hugh Bryant |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bradenton Beach |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34217 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Hugh Bryant |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Bradenton Beach |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 34217 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | 88J |
| Departure City | ALLENDALE |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1823 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | W66 |
| Destination City | Warrenton |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 16 2008 9:42AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |