ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37391
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Wednesday 10 June 1998 |
| Time: | 19:40 LT |
| Type: |  Beechcraft F33A Bonanza |
| Owner/operator: | Ten-hi Flyers Inc |
| Registration: | N6033U |
| MSN: | CE-849 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2600 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520-BB |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Delaplane, VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | North Wilkesbor, NC |
| Frederick, MD (KFDK) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot and pilot rated passenger (PRP) were en route to Frederick (FDK), Maryland, when the airplane collided with mountainous terrain 40 miles from the destination. Several witnesses near the crash site heard an airplane overfly their homes at a low altitude. They reported that the engine was operating as it flew overhead, then they heard the engine stop followed by a 'thud.' According to the witnesses, it was cloudy, and the fog had covered the tops of the 50 foot tall trees. The flight followed the successful completion of a visual flight rules (VFR) cross country flying event. According to the Chairperson of the U.S. Air Race, Inc., the event organizers terminated the daylight and VFR-only event early because weather conditions did not appear to permit a VFR flight to FDK. Several VFR aircraft landed short of FDK and drove the remaining distance. According to Air Traffic Control records the pilot did not file a flight plan. An Air Traffic Controller said, '...Aircraft were canceling their [instrument flight rules] IFR either after landing or short final which caused other inbounds to hold or get delaying vectors.'. AIRMET SIERRA update number 5 issued at 1545, and was current for mountain obscuration and IFR ceilings and visibility's over the accident location. The weather at FDK was IFR and instrument approaches were in use. Examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight decision which led to VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance resulting in collision with mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were low clouds, fog, mountainous terrain, obscuration, low altitude flying and the pilot's self-induced pressure.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB IAD98FA068
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 07-Apr-2024 11:01 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation