- Date
- January 25, 1989, 18:29 local (Jan 26, 1989, 00:29 UTC)
- Place
- Green Bay, WI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6CFCessna T337G
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890125001259A
- Case key
- 14203
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's loss of aircraft control, due to the loss of cockpit/instrument panel lighting for an undetermined reason, the inoperative penlight, and subsequent spatial disorientation of the pilot. Factors related to the accident were: darkness and the adverse weather conditions.
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
During a flt at ngt, the plt rprtd he had lost instrument panel lighting, but that he had a flashlight. About 14 min later, he rprtd he did not have any lights in the cabin & that he was changing flashlights. Subsequently, the acft crashed about 1/2 mi south of the arpt. There was evidence that it had impacted, while traveling at high speed. The elec sys was severely damaged by impact, breakers were destroyed or popped & the light rheostat sw was damaged during the occurrence. A penlight was found in the wreckage with dead 'aa' batteries. A 2-cell 'd' flashlight was found in a pocket attached to the rear of the left front seat.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6CF
- Reported as
- Cessna T337G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P3370040
- Airframe hours
- 1,653
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-C, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James A. Podhora
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 7, 1988 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- 92C · Polaski, WI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- GRB · Auston Straobel, runway 6R, 7,700 × 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
- 60
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,188 total · 1,067 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GRB, 1 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.