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20061113026879A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna T303 · South Bend, IN · November 13, 2006

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 13, 2006 · 08:03 local
Place
South Bend, IN
Airport
Michiana Regional
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N611BB
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI07FA022
Reported as
Cessna T303
People aboard
5
Fatal injuries
5
Pilot’s flight hours
600 total100 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days
N611BBRegistration cancelled Jan 23, 2007 · Cessna T303S/N T30300145 · Built 1982Airframe modelCessna T303Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The twin Cessna aircraft departed sbn airport on an IFR flight plan at approximately 7:56 pm EST with five people on board, including the pilot. Air traffic control (ATC) interceded to aid the pilot in getting established on the intended route of flight, direct to oxi VOR. The pilot had initially departed in a westerly direction instead of southwesterly, as he was directed. In other respects, the flight appeared normal, apparently with a good rate of climb and no indication of a problem from the pilot. The pilot's last radio transmission was simply his call sign. Approximately 7 miles west southwest from the sbn airport, ATC lost radio and radar contact with the aircraft. Shortly thereafter, reports to law enforcement indicated a downed aircraft, and the wreckage was located in a cornfield about 65 minutes later. Shortly after the accident, a special weather observation at sbn airport indicated an 1100 feet cloud ceiling, with "mist" conditions and visibility of 5 miles. Temperature and dewpoint was 4 and 2 degrees celsius, respectively, at the surface.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE TWIN CESSNA AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SBN AIRPORT ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN AT APPROXIMATELY 7:56 PM EST WITH FIVE PEOPLE ON BOARD, INCLUDING THE PILOT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) INTERCEDED TO AID THE PILOT IN GETTING ESTABLISHED ON THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT, DIRECT TO OXI VOR. THE PILOT HAD INITIALLY DEPARTED IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION INSTEAD OF SOUTHWESTERLY, AS HE WAS DIRECTED. IN OTHER RESPECTS, THE FLIGHT APPEARED NORMAL, APPARENTLY WITH A GOOD RATE OF CLIMB AND NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM FROM THE PILOT. THE PILOT'S LAST RADIO TRANSMISSION WAS SIMPLY HIS CALL SIGN. APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST FROM THE SBN AIRPORT, ATC LOST RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, REPORTS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT INDICATED A DOWNED AIRCRAFT, AND THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A CORNFIELD ABOUT 65 MINUTES LATER. SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A SPECIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION AT SBN AIRPORT INDICATED AN 1100 FEET CLOUD CEILING, WITH "MIST" CONDITIONS AND VISIBILITY OF 5 MILES. TEMPERATURE AND DEWPOINT WAS 4 AND 2 DEGREES CELSIUS, RESPECTIVELY, AT THE SURFACE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI07FA022Accident · 5 fatalField investigationFinal reportMill Creek, INThe pilot became spatially disoriented and as a result failed to maintain control of the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were the instrument meteorological conditions aloft and the pilot being fatigued.Nov 14, 2006 · Destroyed