- Date
- December 13, 1991, 20:07 local (Dec 14, 1991, 02:07 UTC)
- Place
- Dewitt, AR
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6012CBeech C23
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911213056239A
- Case key
- 18346
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 attempt to land in IMC conditions and her subsequent loss of control during climb out due to spatial disorientation. A factor was the pilot's disregard of the pre-flight weather briefing.
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 airplane impacted in an open field about 1/2 mile southeast of the airport in a left wing low, nose low attitude. A ground witness, who was a pilot, stated that he heard the airplane's engine accelerate and enter a left turn just prior to impact. The witness lived about 200 yards from where impact occurred. The airport where the accident occurred was about ten miles south of the pilot's intended destination. The weather and light conditions at the time were thick fog with about 1/8 mile visibility and dark night. During the weather briefing the non-instrument rated private pilot was advised that VFR flight was not recommended and that she should call back prior to departure. The pilot did not call back. The pilot had a total of 14 hours night time and 3 hours simulated instrument time. It was not determined if the pilot had landed at the accident airport or if she had just made a low pass. Total ete for the flight would have been about 47 minutes. Total elapsed time from takeoff to the accident was 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6012C
- Reported as
- Beech C23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M-2098
- Airframe hours
- 5,364
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Central Flying Service, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Central Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · December 11, 1991 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- M89 · Arkadeplphia, AR
- Destination
- M73 · Almyra, AR
- Airport
- 5M1 · Dewitt Muni, runway 17, 3,200 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 20
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 105 total · 4 in this make and model · 41 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.