Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73008
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 21:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot flew the night cross-country flight under instrument flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). As the pilot approached his destination airport, he reported to the air traffic controller that he had problems with his landing gear indicator. The controller told the pilot to maintain 3,000 feet and turn to a heading of 360 degrees. The pilot acknowledged the instructions; there were no further communications between the controller and pilot. Radar data showed that, as the airplane approached the airport, it was headed generally north-northeast at an altitude of 3,000 to 3,300 feet. The last radar return showed the airplane at 2,600 feet, heading north. Several witnesses reported that they saw the airplane’s red lights appear from the clouds and descend rapidly before the airplane impacted the ground. The wreckage showed damage indicative of a vertical or near-vertical impact. A postcrash fire ensued. Examination of the airplane found no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies.
Postmortem toxicology testing for the pilot indicated positive results for Butalbital, a prescription barbiturate; Citalopram, a prescription antidepressant; Cyclobenzaprine, a prescription muscle relaxant; and Tramadol, which is used for moderate to severe pain. Although such medications can have sedating and/or impairing effects, it was not possible to determine to what extent, if any, the pilot may have been impaired. Both night IMC and the pilot's diverted attention to troubleshooting the landing gear indicator or working the alternate landing gear extension can increase the risk of spatial disorientation, and the airplane’s rapid, near-vertical descent is consistent with pilot spatial disorientation and a loss of airplane control.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s loss of control of the airplane during night instrument meteorological conditions, likely due to spatial disorientation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/17/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2130 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Oklahoma City |
| Event State | OKLAHOMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 73008 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| 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 | 2153 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPWA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 19 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.33 |
| 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) | 29496 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 29 2011 2:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N314DP |
| NTSB Number | CEN11FA075 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Hawker-Beechcraft Corporation |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | EA-629 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 26 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2592 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HUGON JOHN C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 301 COMMERCE ST STE 1470 |
| Aircraft Owner City | FORT WORTH |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76102-4108 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | HUGON JOHN C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 301 COMMERCE ST STE 1470 |
| Operator City | FORT WORTH |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76102-4108 |
| 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 | LAW |
| Departure City | Fort Lawton-Sil |
| Departure State | OK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2100 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | PWA |
| Destination City | Oklahoma City |
| Destination State | OK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2011 9:10AM |
| User who most recently changed record | hatc |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | -- |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |