Ryan Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85735
Sunday, November 14, 2010 12:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A flight instructor, who was located adjacent to the accident site, reported that the commercial glider pilot was conducting his first solo takeoffs and landings as part of his training to obtain an airplane single-engine add-on rating. The instructor stated that the pilot conducted two uneventful takeoffs and landings and, during the third takeoff and approach to landing, everything looked normal. As the airplane was on short final approach for the runway, the flight instructor observed the airplane pitch downward and descend into terrain near the approach end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the pilot’s medical records revealed that he had longstanding, significant, untreated hypercholesterolemia. An autopsy on the pilot revealed that he had both “severe” coronary atherosclerotic disease and septal hypertrophy; both conditions put him at substantial risk for acute myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac arrhythmia. Neither event would be detectable by autopsy; however, it is likely that the pilot experienced a medical emergency and was incapacitated during the accident flight, rendering him unable to maintain airplane control.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inability to maintain airplane control while on final approach due to undiagnosed cardiac disease, which caused a medical emergency and subsequent pilot incapacitation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Tucson
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85735
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 320831N
Event Location Longitude 1111028W
Event Location Airport Ryan Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RYN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2417
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1204 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID RYN
Elevation of weather observation facility 2417
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
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) 31192
NTSB Notification Source FAA 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 Apr 11 2013 3:00PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60858
NTSB Number WPR11FA046
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150J
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15070625
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5083
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name STITES KELLY S
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85745-5162
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Kelly's Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tucson
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85735
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RYN
Departure City Tucson
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code RYN
Destination City Tucson
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 11 2013 3:00PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --