Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74132
Saturday, September 5, 2009 10:42 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument-rated private pilot obtained a standard weather briefing for a cross-country flight and was advised that a visual flight rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. The ceiling was 600 feet overcast with 4 miles visibility. Approximately 4 hours later, the pilot radioed ground control for taxi and a VFR clearance. The controller informed the pilot that the airport was in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions. The pilot then requested and received an IFR clearance.
The pilot departed and had to be reminded by the local and departure controllers to make several course and altitude changes. The pilot acknowledged the changes but took no action. The pilot was also warned of antennas near his position. Review of radar data revealed the pilot's altitude varied from 1,100 feet mean sea level (msl) to 1,600 feet (msl). The last radar target was at 1,200 feet msl in a left descending turn although the pilot had been instructed to climb to 4,000 feet 2 minutes before the accident. During periods of low visibility, a pilot is particularly vulnerable to spatial disorientation. Further, the pilot's descending turn when he was supposed to be climbing is indicative of spatial disorientation. The airplane then collided with a guy wire on a 600-foot radio transmission tower at a terrain elevation of 860 feet msl.
Postaccident examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no anomalies. The altimeter, transponder, and transponder automatic altitude reporting system test was current. The gyroscopic instruments were destroyed and could not be examined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to attempt flight in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and an in-flight collision with a radio tower guy wire.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/5/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1042 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Tulsa |
| Event State | OKLAHOMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 74132 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 360750N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0960449W |
| 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 | 1035 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 137 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RVS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 638 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 600 |
| 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) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.11 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SPECI KRVS 051535Z 04005KT 4SM HZ OVC006 22/19 A30 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 5 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 5 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28542 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FTW Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 24 2011 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1228H |
| NTSB Number | CEN09FA562 |
| 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 | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32R-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32R-7780146 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 6 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 29 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 93 |
| Airframe Hours | 2843 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LESTER STEPHEN T TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7354 S 26TH WEST AVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | TULSA |
| Aircraft Owner State | OK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 74132-2218 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | LESTER STEPHEN T TRUSTEE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 7354 S 26TH WEST AVE |
| Operator City | TULSA |
| Operator State | OK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 74132-2218 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KRVS |
| Departure City | Tulsa |
| Departure State | OK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1037 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KDAL |
| Destination City | Dallas |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 31 2011 10:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| 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 | -- |