# NTSB BFO93FA030: American General AG5B, N1192Z, Vergennes, VT, February 18, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: February 18, 1993, 15:36 local (20:36 UTC)
- Place: Vergennes, VT
- Location: 44.1677° N, 73.2553° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Vergennes, VT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1677&lon=-73.2553&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report November 3, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 11867
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO93FA030
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/11867/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO93FA030

## Probable cause

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OR CLEARANCE FROM SNOW COVERED TERRAIN AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.  THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - whiteout (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise
  - terrain condition - water,frozen
  - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

ON A FLIGHT FROM GLENN FALLS TO LAKE PLACID, NY, THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER. ATC DATA SHOWED THIS OCCURRED OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT ABOUT 1517 EST NEAR BURLINGTON, VT. THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO GLENN FALLS. AT ABOUT 1521, HE TOLD THE CONTROLLER HE HAD LAKE CHAMPLAIN IN VIEW. THE LAKE WAS MOSTLY FROZEN OVER WITH APRX 3 FT OF SNOW ON THE SURFACE. ABOUT 5 MIN LATER, RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED, AND THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED. NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS BY THE PILOT WERE RECEIVED. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ON THE FROZEN SURFACE OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN NEAR THE VERMONT SHORE. AN EXAM REVEALED THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE ICE IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED, BUT NO PREIMPACT ANOMALIES OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE WERE FOUND. A WITNESS ON THE NEW YORK LAKE SHORE SAW AN AIRPLANE AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, IN A STEEP LEFT TURN AT ABOUT 250 FT AGL. HE STATED HE LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO THE BAD WEATHER. HE ALSO STATED THAT AT THE TIME HE SAW THE AIRPLANE, A SEVERE BLIZZARD WAS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA AND IT LASTED ABOUT 15 MIN.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1192Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1192Z-1994-01-07), registration cancelled 1994-01-07, S/N 10040 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: American General Aircraft AG5B
- Registry model: [American General Acft AG5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-general-acft-ag5b) (registry code 3990100) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 10040
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4K 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: A. Bashawaty/John Derubeis
- Registered owner: A. Bashawaty/John Derubeis
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, February 11, 1993
- Departed: GFL, GLENS FALLS, NY
- Destination: LKP, LAKE PLACID, NY

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 155 total, 142 in this make and model, 100 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 7 knots
- Temperature: 14 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: BTV, 35 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19930218002959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930218002959A), Feb 18, 1993: Amrgen AG5B, Vergennes, VT, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Lost control after flying into snowshower. Not IFR rated. Vertigo, spiral dive to frozen lake were factors.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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