ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 199474
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| Date: | Tuesday 5 September 2017 |
| Time: | 11:48 |
| Type: |  Cirrus SR20 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N135CD |
| MSN: | 1022 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2000 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1141 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-360-ES6B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Harrison/Wetzel county line, NW of Clarksburg, W. VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Georgetown, DE (GED) |
| Flemingsburg, KY (FGX) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Before departing on the instrument flight rules cross-country flight, the instrument-rated private pilot received an official weather briefing which included the latest Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) valid along the proposed route of flight. While en route at 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the controller provided a vector to the pilot to deviate around weather. The pilot accepted the deviation and turned the airplane; shortly thereafter, he reported that the airplane was in an area of moderate-to-heavy precipitation. Several minutes later, the pilot reported that the airplane was clear of the precipitation; he requested and was cleared to resume the on-course heading. The controller subsequently observed the radar return associated with the airplane descending rapidly from 8,000 ft to 5,000 ft before radar contact was lost. Review of the airplane's flight track data showed the airplane descending in a left turn, then making a sharp right turn followed by a sharp left turn; there were no further communications received from the pilot. The wreckage was significantly fragmented, consistent with a high-energy impact and trees in the vicinity of the accident site displayed angular cuts consistent with propeller contact. There was no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
A cold frontal boundary just west of the accident site provided a moderately unstable environment for the formation of thunderstorms along the route of flight. Review of weather information indicated that the pilot was operating in instrument meteorological conditions and likely turbulence associated with the thunderstorm activity. These conditions are known to be conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. Additionally, the airplane's series of descents and changes in direction before being lost from radar and the evidence of a high-energy impact are consistent with the known effects of spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control.
Probable Cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation while flying in instrument meteorological conditions in the vicinity of adverse weather conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N135CD/history/20170905/1300Z/KGED/KFGX
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N135CD
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 28 February 2013 | N135CD | Private | 0 | Brunswick, GA | |
sub |
| Loss of control | ||||||
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Sep-2017 23:36 | Geno | Added |
| 06-Sep-2017 23:40 | Geno | Updated [Narrative] |
| 08-Sep-2017 05:34 | Geno | Updated [Total fatalities, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 22-Apr-2020 17:00 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 22-Apr-2020 17:27 | harro | Updated [Source, Narrative, Photo, Accident report, ] |
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