- Date
- November 4, 1984, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Syria, VA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N91954Douglas AD-4NA
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841104064859A
- Case key
- 11119
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt had obtained two wx briefings bfr the flt both indicating VFR not recommended. He said he would fly VFR as long as he could along a northern route that was forecast to be VFR deteriorating to MVFR. The plt was not instrument rated. The acft was observed in a straight slight climb in and out of clouds immediately before entering a cloud that covered the hill where the accident took place. The accident site was located west of the forecast VFR route on a more direct route to the plts destination.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91954
- Reported as
- Douglas AD-4NA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 126970
- Airframe hours
- 39,834
- Engine
- Wright R-3350-26WD, 3,350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jack Spanich
- Registered owner
- Spanich Bonding Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special flight (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · July 5, 1984
- Departed
- PHF · Newport News, VA
- Destination
- YIP · Detroit, MI
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 972 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Temperature
- 57 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.