Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Newcomerstown, Ohio 43832
Saturday, April 21, 2012 12:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 21, 2012, approximately 1220 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus Design Corp SR22, N110EB, registered to Photopheresis INC., of Morristown, New Jersey, was substantially damaged when it impacted heavily wooded terrain in the vicinity of Newcomerstown, Ohio. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross country flight. The flight originated at 1013 from the Somerset Airport (SMQ), and its intended destination was Ohio State University Airport (OSU), Columbus, Ohio. According to preliminary radar data and recorded radio communications, approximately 5 minutes prior to the accident, the airplane was in cruise flight at 8,000 feet msl at 156 knots ground speed, when Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) updated the altimeter setting via radio. The pilot acknowledged the call and sounded normal. No other transmissions were from received from the pilot. Preliminary radar data showed the airplane begin a descending right turn with airspeed increasing slightly through the turn and then suddenly decreasing to 61 knots as the radius of the turn decreased. The airplane had turned approximately 270 degrees of heading and descended to an altitude of 4,900 feet msl before radar contact was lost. The airplane's main wreckage (cabin and engine) was located on a heavily wooded hillside at 40°14'58.32" North latitude, 81°32'44.95" West longitude at an approximate elevation of 1,060 feet msl. The direction of energy was about 093 degrees magnetic. The hillside had a 10-degree upslope. The initial point of impact consisted of two trees 31 feet apart from one another. One tree had missing bark and tree scars on one of its large branches approximately 44 feet above the ground. The second tree’s trunk was broke off approximately 34 feet above the ground. Three more tree trunks in the direction of energy ranging in size from 4-8 inches were freshly broken off. The remainder of the airplane was severely fragmented and dispersed over a debris field that measured roughly 370 feet long by about 250 feet wide at its widest point. Evidence of spot fires were present throughout the debris field. Brown wilted vegetation was present that was consistent with fuel damage. Evidence at the site was consistent with the airplane impacting the trees approximately 25-30 degrees nose down and about level wings. The airplane's Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) system was examined at the accident site and evidence showed that it had not deployed prior to impact. The airplane's Remote Data Module (RDM) was located in the debris field and taken into custody by the NSTB IIC for examination at the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory, Washington DC. There were no eye-witnesses to the accident, however, a boy who was a passenger of a car reported that he thought that he saw the airplane coming out of the clouds in a descent before it disappeared out of sight behind a tree line. He stated that he then saw black smoke. The closest weather reporting location to the accident site was from Zanesville Municipal Airport (KZZV), Zanesville, Ohio, located approximately 24 miles southwest of the accident site at an elevation of 900 feet. The airport had an un-augmented ASOS and reported the following conditions at the approximate time of the accident: Zanesville (KZZV) special weather observation at 1222 EDT (1622Z), automated, wind from 340º at 5 knots, visibility 7 miles in light rain, ceiling broken at 800 feet agl, overcast at 1,200 feet, temperature 6º C, dew point 4º C, altimeter 29.89 inches of Hg. Remarks - automated observation system, ceiling 600 variable 1,000 feet, hourly precipitation 0.01 inch. After the on-scene phase of the investigation, the airplane wreckage was recovered to Atlanta Air Salvage, Atlanta, Georgia.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Newcomerstown
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43832
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401458N
Event Location Longitude 0813244W
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 1222 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID ZZV
Elevation of weather observation facility 900
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
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) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Zanesville (KZZV) special weather observation at 1
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) --
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 Jun 21 2012 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record bakd
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N110EB
NTSB Number CEN12FA251
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 CIRRUS DESIGN CORP
Aircraft Model SR22
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3423
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
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 No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name PHOTOPHERESIS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 182 SOUTH ST STE 1
Aircraft Owner City MORRISTOWN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07960-5350
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PHOTOPHERESIS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 182 SOUTH ST STE 1
Operator City MORRISTOWN
Operator State NJ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 07960-5350
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 SMQ
Departure City Somerset
Departure State NJ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1013
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OSU
Destination City Columbus
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 20 2012 11:44PM
User who most recently changed record lema
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 --