ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38690
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| Date: | Wednesday 28 June 1995 |
| Time: | 21:28 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 182Q |
| Owner/operator: | Air Center Ii, Inc. |
| Registration: | N759NU |
| MSN: | 18266134 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2816 hours |
| Engine model: | CONTINENTAL O-470-U |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | San Angelo, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | (KSJT) |
| Austin, TX (3R3) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT ELECTED TO DEPART ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AFTER RECEIVING TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS ADVISING OF CURRENT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY NEAR THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT DESCRIBED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AS MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN, STRONG GUSTY WINDS, VISIBILITY OF 5 MILES OR LESS WITH MULTIPLE LIGHTNING STRIKES OCCURRING IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE TAKEOFF, TURN DOWNWIND, AND THEN ENTER 'AN ABRUPT DESCENT AND EXPLODE ON IMPACT.' RADAR DATA REVEALED THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES. THE CREW OF A HELICOPTER WHICH PARTICIPATED IN THE SEARCH FOR THE AIRPLANE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 'IN A VERY DARK AREA WITH HARDLY ANY GROUND LIGHTS' AND REPORTED DIFFICULTY IN SEEING OUTSIDE THEIR AIRCRAFT 'DUE TO THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF ANY STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. THE PILOT HAD 1.5 HOURS TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME AND 10.8 HOURS TOTAL NIGHT TIME.
Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CONDITIONS OF DARKNESS, THUNDERSTORM AND LIGHTNING, AND THE PILOT'S LACK INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW95FA261
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] |
| 09-Apr-2024 14:10 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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