- Date
- December 18, 2004, 22:15 local (Dec 19, 2004, 03:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wheeling, WV
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N60CFSmith, Ted Aerostar 601P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20041218034479A
- Case key
- 60754
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 misjudged his distance/speed, and his intentional landing on an unsuitable taxiway at night. A factor in the accident was the night light 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
The pilot attempted a night landing on a taxiway in front of the control tower, which was closed at the time. The airplane overran the end of the taxiway, rolled down an embankment and struck trees. The pilot, whose identity was not confirmed, was believed to have incurred minor injuries. He subsequently paid a passerby to take him to a local hotel, and after a night's rest, he left the area. Ownership of the airplane could not be determined due to a recent sale. Approximately 250 kilos of cocaine were found onboard the airplane. Further investigation was being conducted by federal authorities and local law enforcement.
Factual narrative
The pilot attempted a night landing on a taxiway in front of the control tower, which was closed at the time. The airplane overran the end of the taxiway, rolled down an embankment and struck trees. The pilot, whose identity was not confirmed, was believed to have incurred minor injuries. He subsequently paid a passerby to take him to a local hotel, and after a night's rest, he left the area. Ownership of the airplane could not be determined due to a recent sale. Approximately 250 kilograms of cocaine were found onboard the airplane. Further investigation was being conducted by federal authorities and local law enforcement.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60CF
- Reported as
- Smith, Ted Aerostar 601P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61P-0415-149
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Registered owner
- Undetermined
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Unknown
- Destination
- HLG · Wheeling, WV
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
- 0
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 0 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.