- Date
- March 3, 1989, 16:12 local (21:12 UTC)
- Place
- Roanoke, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N27FHBeech V35TC
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890303003829A
- Case key
- 11452
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft due to spatial disorientation.
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 instrument rated plt initiated VFR flight to blacksburg after he was informed by fss that IMC existed at the dest. The plt contacted Roanoke (roa) apch ctrl about 15 miles west of blacksburg and 8 miles sw of roa. He reported that he was 'stuck' in clouds at 2,000 ft MSL at the same time witnesses in the area reported an acft just above treetop level in heavy fog and below an estimated 100 to 200 ft overcast. The plt was cleared to and began climbing west to 5,000 ft. as he was climbing he asked for the current weather at blacksburg. Roa advised the plt that the weather at blacksburg was not available. However, the plt asked and was cleared to proceed to blacksburg on a 240 degree heading. The acft was at 4,600 ft when it abruptly made a right turn and descended to the ground. Witnesses stated the acft descended from a low overcast in a nose down attitude with the engine at high power. Examination of the acft did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction. There was no evidence of plt impairment or incapacitation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N27FH
- Reported as
- Beech V35TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-8279
- Airframe hours
- 3,200
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-D, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ruffin K. Harris
- Registered owner
- Ruffin K Harris
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 6, 1989
- Departed
- VA79 · Middleburg, VA
- Destination
- BCB · Blacksburg, VA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,811 total · 1,241 in this make and model · 1,630 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ROA, 7 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.