Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Savannah/Hhi International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Savannah, Georgia 31408
Sunday, November 18, 2012 18:55 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was attempting an instrument landing system approach to a northbound runway in night, instrument meteorological conditions. The air traffic controller issued a series of radar vectors to the pilot to guide him to the localizer course. However, after the controller cleared the pilot to intercept the localizer, the airplane instead continued across the localizer course. The pilot initiated a 270-degree turn to the south, crossed the localizer course, and then turned back toward the localizer course again. The controller observed that the airplane was in a descent and queried the pilot on his altitude. The pilot replied that he was "…trying to recover." Radio and radar contact were then lost and search and rescue operations were initiated.
The airplane was located in a salt marsh south of the destination airport and appeared to have been in a right, descending spiral when it impacted the marshy terrain. The wreckage was extremely fragmented. An examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical anomaly or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Propeller signatures indicated high engine power at impact.
The pilot received his instrument rating about 6 months before the accident, at which time he reported about 189 hours of total flight time, including about 43 hours of instrument and 21 hours of night pilot-in-command flight time. Based on the night, instrument meteorological conditions, the pilot's actions and responses during the flight, and examination of the wreckage, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while operating in night, instrument meteorological conditions, due to spatial disorientation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/18/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1855 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Savannah |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31408 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315607N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0811144W |
| Event Location Airport | Savannah/HHI International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SAV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 12 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 50 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1853 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SAV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 50 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| 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) | 31766 |
| 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 | Jun 26 2013 2:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N78304 |
| NTSB Number | ERA13FA062 |
| 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 | 172K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17257561 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Jun 29 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 8340 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | COSGROVE RODDY L |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6909 BIG TREE LN |
| Aircraft Owner City | LIBERTY |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27298-8169 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | David E. Wentz |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 109 McGee Court |
| Operator City | Advance |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 27006 |
| 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 | 2A5 |
| Departure City | Liberty |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1642 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SAV |
| Destination City | Savannah |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 4 2013 1:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | reej |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 01 |
| Runway Length | 7002 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |