What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
When the pilot reported equipment problems. Lost artificial horizon. (.23)on 11-20-98, at approximately 1220, N6820J, CE-414-A, crashed under unknown circumstances approximately 1/2 mile off the coast of mattapoisett, MA. The flight was IFR and being vectored by providence TRACON for approach into New Bedford airport after departing hyannis, MA. At 1214:59 EST the pilot advised providence TRACON that he just lost his artificial horizon. At 1215:18 the pilot confirmed he was sitll in IFR conditions. At 1219:19 providence TRACON notified the pilot of low altitude alert, and instructed him to check altitude immediately, show 1200. At 1219:23 the pilot acknowledged pvd, but the transmission was cut short. At 1219:57 radar contact was lost. A search was begun at 1230 EST, with the first evidence of a confirmed accident occurring at approx. 1410 EST. On 11-20-98 the body of Mr. Philip edward pelletier and debris from N6802J was located off angelica point. Weather conditions prohibited any further recovery of the wreckage until 11-22-98. The recovered wreckage was relocated to colonial air, New Bedford, MA. Examination of the recovered wreckage was conducte d at colonial air by the NTSB, Massachusetts aeronautics commisson, myself, and Cessna and teledyne Continental representatives. Large portions of the wreckage are still missing to include all instruments and the instrument panel. Any additional pertinent wreckage will be examined upon recovery. The pilot logbook and maintenance records were aboard the aircraft at the time of the crash, of which very little has been recovered. The last annual was completed by nor east aviation at New Bedford. The work order package was copied and reviewed, no recent problems with instruments was noted. Fuel slips at nor east aviation were also copied indicating N6802J took on 50 gallons, 25 each side, on 11-19-98 and 11-20-98, the fuel was checked for contamination by exxon the supplier, non was noted. Additional work order packages were copied at griffin avionics where Mr. Pelletier had his avionics work done, but no recent instrument problems were noted. A formal ATC package has been requested and blue ribbon packages have been ordered for Mr. Philip pelletier and N6820J.
As the FAA filed it
WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED EQUIPMENT PROBLEMS.LOST ARTIFICIAL HORIZON. (.23)ON 11-20-98, AT APPROXIMATELY 1220, N6820J, CE-414-A, CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE OFF THE COAST OF MATTAPOISETT, MA. THE FLIGHT WAS IFR AND BEING VECTORED BY PROVIDENCE TRACON FOR APPROACH INTO NEW BEDFORD AIRPORT AFTER DEPARTING HYANNIS, MA. AT 1214:59 EST THE PILOT ADVISED PROVIDENCE TRACON THAT HE JUST LOST HIS ARTIFICIAL HORIZON. AT 1215:18 THE PILOT CONFIRMED HE WAS SITLL IN IFR CONDITIONS. AT 1219:19 PROVIDENCE TRACON NOTIFIED THE PILOT OF LOW ALTITUDE ALERT, AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO CHECK ALTITUDE IMMEDIATELY, SHOW 1200. AT 1219:23 THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED PVD, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CUT SHORT. AT 1219:57 RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. A SEARCH WAS BEGUN AT 1230 EST, WITH THE FIRST EVIDENCE OF A CONFIRMED ACCIDENT OCCURRING AT APPROX. 1410 EST. ON 11-20-98 THE BODY OF MR. PHILIP EDWARD PELLETIER AND DEBRIS FROM N6802J WAS LOCATED OFF ANGELICA POINT. WEATHER CONDITIONS PROHIBITED ANY FURTHER RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE UNTIL 11-22-98. THE RECOVERED WRECKAGE WAS RELOCATED TO COLONIAL AIR, NEW BEDFORD, MA. EXAMINATION OF THE RECOVERED WRECKAGE WAS CONDUCTE D AT COLONIAL AIR BY THE NTSB, MASSACHUSETTS AERONAUTICS COMMISSON, MYSELF, AND CESSNA AND TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL REPRESENTATIVES. LARGE PORTIONS OF THE WRECKAGE ARE STILL MISSING TO INCLUDE ALL INSTRUMENTS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ANY ADDITIONAL PERTINENT WRECKAGE WILL BE EXAMINED UPON RECOVERY. THE PILOT LOGBOOK AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, OF WHICH VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN RECOVERED. THE LAST ANNUAL WAS COMPLETED BY NOR EAST AVIATION AT NEW BEDFORD. THE WORK ORDER PACKAGE WAS COPIED AND REVIEWED, NO RECENT PROBLEMS WITH INSTRUMENTS WAS NOTED. FUEL SLIPS AT NOR EAST AVIATION WERE ALSO COPIED INDICATING N6802J TOOK ON 50 GALLONS, 25 EACH SIDE, ON 11-19-98 AND 11-20-98, THE FUEL WAS CHECKED FOR CONTAMINATION BY EXXON THE SUPPLIER, NON WAS NOTED. ADDITIONAL WORK ORDER PACKAGES WERE COPIED AT GRIFFIN AVIONICS WHERE MR. PELLETIER HAD HIS AVIONICS WORK DONE, BUT NO RECENT INSTRUMENT PROBLEMS WERE NOTED. A FORMAL ATC PACKAGE HAS BEEN REQUESTED AND BLUE RIBBON PACKAGES HAVE BEEN ORDERED FOR MR. PHILIP PELLETIER AND N6820J.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N6820J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.