Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hardin, Kentucky 42071
Friday, January 9, 2009 6:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot arrived at the airport unannounced and rented the airplane with the stated intention to perform three takeoffs and landings to retain currency, and then fly the airplane to visit his daughter. The pilot subsequently called his daughter and stated that he was not going to make the flight. The pilot then departed the following morning, before sunrise. He flew approximately 50 nautical miles, and then turned around and flew back toward the departure airport. Approximately 10 miles from the departure airport, the airplane initiated a near vertical descent in excess of 6,000 feet-per-minute, and impacted the ground in a nose-low, wings-level attitude. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. Toxicological testing performed on the pilot revealed marijuana in the pilot's blood and lung tissue. The testing results suggested use of the illegal drug within about 3 hours of the accident, likely impairing him during the flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and his impairment from illegal drug use.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/9/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 600 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Hardin |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 42071 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 364750N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0881723W |
| 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 | 553 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 410 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 33 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| 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) | 26685 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2010 12:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N28RP |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA132 |
| 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 | 172 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | F |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17252854 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Sep 24 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 69 |
| Airframe Hours | 6400 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Ernest Jirak |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Murray |
| Aircraft Owner State | KY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 42071-9832 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Ernest Jirak |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Murray |
| Operator State | KY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 42071-9832 |
| 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 | CEY |
| Departure City | Murray |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 530 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MWA |
| Destination City | Marion |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 15 2010 12:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |