Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Crane Hill, Alabama 35053
Monday, September 17, 2012 14:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot initially delayed the cross-country flight for convective weather, but later took off, encountered weather in a climb, and advised an air traffic controller that he was looking at “ADS-B” (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast). As the flight progressed, the airplane climbed to 13,000 feet, and the pilot asked the next controller if there were any reports of icing ahead about 15,000 feet. The controller noted no reports of icing, “but quite a bit of deviation, quite a bit of clouds and precipitation in front of you.” The pilot requested 15,000 feet “to see if I can see things better,” which was approved by the controller. Upon switching to the next controller, the pilot was advised of moderate to extreme precipitation for the next 90 miles. The pilot then stated that in looking at the ADS-B, he needed to deviate. Deviation was approved, and, 2 minutes later, the pilot advised the controller that he was making another deviation, which the controller acknowledged. Eighteen minutes after that, the controller told the pilot to change radio frequency, and the pilot responded, “unable, we’re battling some pretty bad...”. The airplane subsequently made numerous turns and altitude excursions, turning 90 degrees to the right and descending to 14,600 feet, then turning another 90 degrees right and descending to 14,100 feet. After making a sharp left turn, the airplane climbed to 15,500 feet, then made another sharp left turn, and, as it began a final rapid descent to the ground, the pilot issued several mayday calls. An examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The expected ADS-B cockpit depiction compared to real-time, ground-based radar indicated significant differences in the depiction of hazardous reflectivity (rain). In the ADS-B product, the airplane was depicted as being clear of moderate or heavy rain as it made its final various turns. However, rea-time radar imagery indicated that the airplane would have been in or near moderate-to-heavy rain. The pilot indicated to the controller that he was using ADS-B in a tactical manner; however, ADS-B is intended to be used in a strategic manner . It is unknown why the pilot lost control of the airplane in moderate-to-heavy rain; he may have become confused and lost situational awareness when turning into what he thought were clearer conditions per the ADS-B depiction but was actually worse weather. ADS-B does not show what the weather is; it shows what the weather was up to 15 to 20 minutes earlier.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s loss of control in moderate-to-heavy rain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s reliance on ADS-B for tactical weather avoidance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/17/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Crane Hill |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 35053 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335835N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0870702W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | 1355 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 250 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JFX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 483 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.82 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 33383 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern C-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 4 2014 2:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1085A |
| NTSB Number | ERA12FA566 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MOONEY |
| Aircraft Model | M20M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-0033 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 4 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1590 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SC LEASING LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19808-1645 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Gary Cohen |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Hendersonville |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 37075 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | DTN |
| Departure City | Destin |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1245 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | M33 |
| Destination City | Gallatin |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 4 2014 2:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |