Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Humbird, Wisconsin 54746
Sunday, June 7, 2009 17:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument-rated private pilot obtained two weather briefings before departing on the visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight. During the weather briefings he was advised that VFR flight was not recommended because of an active weather advisory for widespread instrument meteorological conditions that encompassed his planned route. The weather advisory was for occasional cloud ceilings below 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) and surface visibilities less than 3 miles with light precipitation/mist. The forecast weather was for ceilings 1,500 to 2,500 feet agl with widely scattered light rain showers and isolated thunderstorms. Approximately 1 hour after departure, several witnesses located near the accident site reported hearing an airplane overfly their position. These witnesses noted that because of a low cloud ceiling, fog, and light precipitation they could not see the airplane. The witnesses reported hearing the sound of an airplane engine operating at a high speed. Several witnesses noted that the loudness of the airplane's engine increased and decreased several times, as if the airplane was turning, before they heard a ground impact. The distribution of the wreckage was consistent with an airplane that experienced a loss of control and an in-flight breakup at low altitude and high airspeed. The challenging visibility conditions were conducive to the onset of pilot spatial disorientation and the airplane's rapid, near-vertical descent is consistent with the pilot's loss of control of the airplane because of spatial disorientation. The postaccident investigation revealed no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane or its systems.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight into an area of known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/7/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1745 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Humbird |
| Event State | WISCONSIN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 54746 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 443114N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0910002W |
| 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 | 1756 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 317 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KEAU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 913 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1700 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| 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) | 29.96 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28455 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB - Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 18 2011 9:38AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N448DM |
| NTSB Number | CEN09FA340 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Gulfstream American Corp |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA5B0976 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Jul 3 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 53 |
| Airframe Hours | 1110 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David P. Holtrop |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sheboygan |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 53081-7701 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | David P. Holtrop |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Sheboygan |
| Operator State | WI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 53081-7701 |
| 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 | 21D |
| Departure City | Lake Elmo |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1643 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KSBM |
| Destination City | Sheboygan |
| Destination State | WI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 18 2011 9:38AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |