Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Dewitt Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Greenbush, Maine 04467
Monday, January 4, 2010 10:54 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was attempting an instrument flight rules (IFR) transoceanic ferry flight in a new Cessna 172S. The flight had been delayed several days due to weather, and the pilot was anxious to return home to the United Kingdom, as his daughter was having surgery. The airplane was equipped with an approved auxiliary fuel tank, which resulted in a gross weight that was 30 percent higher than the published maximum gross weight for the airplane. The higher gross weight was also approved under a special airworthiness certificate; however, the operating limitations for that certificate included, "15. Avoid moderate to severe turbulence." Additionally, the pilot contacted a flight service station and was aware of airmen's meteorological information (AIRMET)s for IFR conditions, moderate turbulence below 11,000 feet, and moderate ice below 13,000 feet, with the freezing level ranging between the surface and 2,500 feet. All three AIRMETS were in effect at the time of departure and the pilot was also aware of cloud and precipitation locations. The airplane flew about 25 miles northeast of the departure airport, then reversed course when the pilot could no longer maintain an altitude of 6,000 feet mean sea level (msl) and was having difficulty controlling the airplane in turbulence and icing conditions. The airplane flew approximately 7 miles after the course reversal, descending to 1,200 feet msl, until radar contact was lost. A witness reported that the airplane flew overhead about 100 to 200 feet above ground level, with continuous engine noise, until it impacted a river. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Light snow and drizzle prevailed at the time of departure.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to attempt a transoceanic flight in turbulent, icing conditions, with an overweight airplane that was not approved for moderate turbulence and not equipped with deicing systems. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's personal pressure to return home.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/4/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1054 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Greenbush |
| Event State | MAINE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 04467 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 450735N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0683745W |
| Event Location Airport | Dewitt Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KOLD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 126 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KBGR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 192 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2600 |
| 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) | 3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 17 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.35 |
| 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) | 27162 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Local Authorities |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 9 2010 4:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5118J |
| NTSB Number | ERA10LA105 |
| 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 | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S10931 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | American King Air Services, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mt Pleasant |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | American King Air Services, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Mt Pleasant |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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) | Ferry |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KBGR |
| Departure City | Bangor |
| Departure State | ME |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1018 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CYYR |
| Destination City | Goose Bay |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | CA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 9 2010 4:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |