Evansville Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Evansville, Indiana 47725
Tuesady, August 7, 2012 10:16 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported a loss of attitude reference and a subsequent loss of control during cruise flight in instrument meteorological conditions. About 15 minutes into the flight, the attitude indicator displayed a 30-degree right bank and the pilot’s control inputs did not seem to correct the banked condition. The pilot subsequently noticed a 2,000 foot-per-minute descent with increasing airspeed. The attitude indicator and turn coordinator were displaying conflicting information, and the directional gyro was indicating a rapid heading change to the left. About 5,000 feet mean sea level, the airplane broke out of the clouds, and the pilot was able to regain control and landed without further incident. The pilot observed substantial damage to the wings after landing. A postaccident examination of the attitude indicator revealed significant noise during testing, consistent with an impending gyro bearing failure. In addition, after the gyro was allowed to reach operating speed, it did not fully stabilize again after it was disturbed from equilibrium. Postaccident examination of the vacuum pump and airframe vacuum system did not reveal any anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s loss of control due to an inaccurate attitude reference, which was caused by an impending (“in process”) failure of the bearing in the attitude indicator.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/2012
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1016
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Evansville
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47725
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 380219N
Event Location Longitude 0873151W
Event Location Airport Evansville Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EVV
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 1059 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 291
Weather Observation Facility ID FTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 756
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30758
NTSB Notification Source FAA -- AGL ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 21 2012 2:38PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N34283
NTSB Number CEN12LA532
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 177B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17701748
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 22 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 2671
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert W May
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Atlanta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30319-3353
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Thomas Solomon
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Roswell
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30076
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 DVK
Departure City Danville
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 956
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Evansville
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 16 2012 4:07PM
User who most recently changed record sort
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --