Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Quincy Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Quincy, Florida 32351
Sunday, January 22, 2012 20:05 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument-rated pilot landed after sunset, refueled the airplane, and took off again about 1 1/2 hours later. A witness, who was in his hangar, did not see the takeoff but heard the engine operate "normally" and noted that fog was developing at the airport at the time. The airplane took off to the southeast, with the destination airport to the east. However, the wreckage path and the accident location indicated that the airplane turned toward the northwest, consistent with flying a downwind leg to return to the departure airport. The airplane subsequently impacted and descended through trees at a relatively shallow angle, with the right wing initially down about 45 degrees. Both propeller and tree impact evidence indicated that the airplane was under power at the time. There was no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal airplane operation.
Autopsy results for the pilot indicated severe heart disease with 90 percent blockage of one artery. However, there was no evidence of an acute heart attack, and the degree of cardiac dysfunction or whether it affected the flight could not be determined; no other debilitating condition was found. Toxicology results revealed the presence of an antidepressant that could have caused dizziness, but low postmortem levels indicated an unlikelihood of impairment. It is unknown why the pilot took off in the deteriorating weather conditions. His attempt to return to the airport rather than climb out toward his destination indicated that once airborne, he was not confident in his ability to complete the flight. During the return attempt, the pilot likely became spatially disoriented in the dark, foggy conditions, which then resulted in his inability to maintain controlled flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-instrument-rated pilot’s spatial disorientation in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his inability to maintain controlled flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to take off in deteriorating meteorological conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/22/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 2005 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Quincy |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32351 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 303614n |
| Event Location Longitude | 0843249w |
| Event Location Airport | Quincy |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 2J9 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 225 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 140 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TLH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 81 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| 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) | 30.13 |
| 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) | 31748 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2013 4:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N73JK |
| NTSB Number | ERA12FA151 |
| 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 | 150G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15064948 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 11 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 46 |
| Airframe Hours | 6412 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | N73JK LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 9106 VICTORIA CIR |
| Aircraft Owner City | GULFPORT |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 39503-6140 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Jerry Golden |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Ocean Springs |
| Operator State | MS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 39564 |
| 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 | 2J9 |
| Departure City | Quincy |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2015 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CRG |
| Destination City | Jacksonville |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 19 2013 4:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 2964 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |