# NTSB FTW94FA090: Cessna P337H, N2QY, N. Little Rock, AR, March 2, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: March 1, 1994, 18:50 local (Mar 2, 1994, 00:50 UTC) - Place: N. Little Rock, AR - Coordinates: 34.839702, -92.329833 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8397&lon=-92.3298&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 1, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18883 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94FA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18883/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94FA090 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND POSSIBLE SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base turn - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (contributing factor) - use of inappropriate medication/drug, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE PILOT CANCELED IFR & FLEW TO HIS PRIVATE STRIP, WHERE HE ENTERED A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 36 IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS. THE STRIP WAS LOCATED IN A RURAL AREA WITH FEW GROUND LIGHTS, EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST 1500 FEET OF THE STRIP, WHICH HAD MEDIUM INTENSITY RUNWAY LIGHTING (MIRL). SOUTH OF THE STRIP WAS A LARGE MILITARY MANEUVERING AREA THAT HAD NO LIGHTING. AS THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING TO LAND, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER A STEEP DESCENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE SPOILERS WERE EXTENDED. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT'S LIVER & KIDNEY TISSUE SHOWED 0.74 UG/ML & 0.159 UG/ML, RESPECTIVELY, OF BROMPHENIRAMINE (AN ANTIHISTAMINE). AN FAA TOXICOLOGIST STATED THESE WERE WITHIN A THERAPEUTIC RANGE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S SON, HE TOOK DRIXORAL FOR SINUS PROBLEMS & A SLIGHT HEAD COLD; THE MEDICATION WAS NOT APPROVED FOR FLYING. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 1, 1994, at approximately 1850 central standard time, a Riley modified Cessna P337H, N2QY, was destroyed when it collided with the ground near North Little Rock, Arkansas. The airplane, owned and flown by an instrument rated commercial pilot, was on a business cross country flight. An instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed and cancelled and dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The pilot departed West Lafayette, Indiana, approximately 1620 central standard time on an IFR flight plan to Little Rock, Arkansas. At 1834, Little Rock Approach Control cleared the flight for an ILS approach to runway 4L at the Little Rock Adams Field airport. At 1838, the pilot advised the tower that he was VFR and stated he would like to cancel his flight plan and proceed VFR to his private strip, which was about 17 miles north of the airport. The tower granted the request and gave an advisory that the restricted areas north of the airport were not active. The tower then handed off the flight back to approach control. At 1842, the pilot requested and received a frequency change so he could activate the lighting at his air strip. At 1846, the pilot returned to the approach control frequency and advised that he had the strip in sight. Radar service was terminated at that time. According to the pilot's son, who was waiting for him at the air strip, it was his father's habit to file IFR and then cancel and fly to the strip. The son stated that the pilot had called him prior to his departure from West Lafayette, and advised of his estimated time of arrival. As a result, the son was able to monitor the progress of the approach and the pilot's decision to cancel and proceed to the strip over a hand held radio. The son stated that at that point, he drove to the south end of the strip to check for deer. He then positioned his vehicle at mid-field where he waited for his father's arrival. The son further stated that at approximately 1845, the runway lights were activated and he proceeded to the south end of the runway and positioned his vehicle so that the headlights shined on the threshold. He then contacted the pilot over the hand held radio and advised him as to the status of the runway, which he said was "sloppy." The son then saw the airplane approaching from the northwest, flying southeast, as was the pilot's normal approach path. He observed both landing lights on. The pilot then advised that he had lost his instrument lights and the son advised him to reset the circuit breaker and of its position. The pilot advised he had regained the instrument lights and asked "how do I look." The son advised that the airplane appeared to be "a little high." The son stated that at that point the airplane turned south, approximately paralleling the runway on the east side, on a right downwind. The son said that the pilot then stated that he was going to start his base turn. The son further revealed that at that point the airplane pitched nose down to what appeared to him to be a 45 degree nose down attitude. He attempted to contact the pilot and said "What are you doing down there? You're too low. Pull up, pull up." He related that the airplane appeared to begin a pull up as he lost sight of it behind a ridge which was located south of the runway. He subsequently saw a bright flash. The son immediately called emergency services and the Little Rock tower and advised them of the accident. The accident site was subsequently located on the Camp Robinson Military Reservation. The accident site was two miles south of the threshold of the private strip on a heading of 195 degrees, west of the extended center line of the runway. WITNESSES In addition to the pilot's son, a second witness observed the accident from outside his truck which was parked about 1/4 mile from the accident site. The witness stated that the airplane made a roll to the left and seemed to spiral straight down "with little to no time to recover." He further stated that the airplane impacted nose first and exploded. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The commercial pilot held multi-engine and instrument ratings. He received a check out in the accident airplane and a biennial flight review on May 26, 1993. After a review of the pilot's personal log, it was estimated he had accumulated a total of 472 hours of night time and 140 hours in the accident airplane. According to the pilot's son, his routine during the 72 hours prior to the accident was normal. The pilot had departed for the business trip to Indiana on February 27, 1994, and had had normal business meetings and rest periods during the ensuing three days. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was temporarily certificated in the Experimental (Market Survey) category at the time of the accident. This was due to extensive modifications being performed by the Riley International Corporation. The certificate was to have expired at midnight on the date of the accident; however, the FAA had agreed to issue another certificate. The modifications included, but were not limited to the installation of two 310 horsepower Continental TSIO-520-NB engines, with Hartzell three bladed propellers, re-instrumentation, new interior, and avionics. The airplane was also equipped with a Horton STOL kit, which included spoilers and wing cuffs. The spoilers allowed for increased rates of descent and control of descent rates. Discussions with FAA and Riley test pilots indicated that the stall characteristics of the airplane in steep turns with the spoilers deployed had not been explored, nor was it required. Discussions with the pilot's son and the mechanic who conducted routine maintenance on the airplane revealed that they were aware of the instrument light circuit breaker having popped on at least two previous occasions. Both were after the instrument panel had been rewired as part of the modification program. After the first occurrence, the mechanic checked the instrument panel wiring, but did not find any short circuits or evidence of overheating. When the breaker tripped the second time on February 2, 1994, the mechanic removed and replaced the 5 amp breaker with a like breaker. It was estimated that the airplane was within the prescribed limits for weight and center of gravity, both at takeoff and at the time of the accident. The airplane had been refueled with 95.9 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline prior to departure on the accident flight. AERODROME INFORMATION Runway 36, was equipped with 1,500 feet of medium intensity runway lights on the south end. The strip is located in a rural area with few ground lights other than the 1,500 feet of runway lighting. Likewise, the area to the south of the strip, where the accident occurred, was a large military maneuver area with no ground lighting. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane impacted the ground about 1/4 mile west of the extended center line of runway 36, for which the pilot was in a right traffic pattern. Impact occurred in an open area surrounded by woods. The main impact crater was measured to be 12 feet wide by 8 feet across and 5 to 6 feet deep in the center. In addition, an long thin imprint extended outward from the crater to the south. Pieces of the right wing tip were found at the end of the imprint. The wing imprint was about 6 inches deep along the span and was deeper at the tip end. A diagonal imprint was found which ran between the wing imprint and the crater. The diagonal imprint corresponded to the normal placement of the right wing strut. Additionally, a round imprint was found immediately aft of the diagonal imprint and was found to correspond to the right main landing gear tire which was found to be covered in mud for 1/2 of the diameter. The rightwing imprint was oriented on a measured heading of 015 degrees, whic ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2QY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2QY-1994-03-28), registration cancelled 1994-03-28, S/N P3370298 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA P337H - Registry model: [Cessna P337H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-p337h) (registry code 2075731) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: P3370298 - Airframe hours: 2238 - Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-NB 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bobwhite Hill Ranch, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, January 19, 1994, 300 hours before - Departed: LAF, WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - Destination: NONE - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: NONE, Bobwhite Hill Ranch, runway 36, 4,500 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 3,289 total, 141 in this make and model, 3,271 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 30° at 6 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: LRF, 5 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 19940302003129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940302003129A), Mar 2, 1994: Cessna 337, Little Rock, AR, Destroyed, 1 fatal. ILS approach to lit. Cancelled proceeded VFR to Private strip. Reported in sight then crashed. Info ATC report only 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.