CHI82FA019

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna T337G · Fort Wayne, IN · January 4, 1982

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
January 4, 1982, 02:12 local (06:12 UTC)
Place
Fort Wayne, IN
Injuries
2 fatal, 2 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N2CUCessna T337G
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report January 4, 1983
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19820104000169A
Case key
70714

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.

In flight encounter with weatherCruise - normal
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
In-flight planning/decision - improperPilot in commandFactor
PerformedPilot in command
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Weather condition - snowFactor
In flight collision with objectApproach
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Ifr procedure - improperPilot in commandCause
Object - tree(s)Factor
Proper altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Lack of familiarity with geographic areaPilot in command

Analysis

On 1/31/83 at 2134 CST, the acft departed grand island, NE on an IFR flt plan to toledo, OH, with appx 125 gal of fuel on board. While en route, the plt received updated wx for toledo. At that time, the toledo wx was indefinite 100 ft obscd, vis 1-1/2 mi with rain & fog, pressure falling rapidly. The plt changed his destination to an altn arpt at ft Wayne, where, at that time, the wx was 400 ft ovc, vis 3 mi with lgt rain & fog. By the time, the acft had arrived in the ft Wayne area, the ceiling had dropped to 200 ft ovc. The plt was clrd for an apch to the ft Wayne muni arpt. By that time, the tower was closed, but the rwy lgts were set on bright. At aprx 0212, the acft collided with trees then impacted the gnd aprx 1.5 mi NE of the arpt, about 3 hrs, 48 min after tkof, on a hdg of 120 deg. An exam of the engine revealed no discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation. There was extsv dmg to the fuel sys, the amount of fuel on board brf impact was not dtrmd, but a pax rprtd 4 hrs of fuel & a reserve.

Aircraft

Registration
N2CU
Reported as
Cessna T337G
Category
Airplane
Serial number
P3370061
Airframe hours
1,426
Engine
Continental TSIO-360-C2B, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
James Richard Horn
Registered owner
James Richard Horn
Departed
GRI · Grand Island, NE
Destination
Toledo, OH
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
runway 22, 9,000 × 150 ft, concrete

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
31
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Flight hours
1,628 total · 94 in this make and model · 1,100 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
Wind
100° at 10 knots
Lowest ceiling
200 ft overcast
Temperature
95 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
FWA, 2 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.