- Date
- November 26, 1989, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Rogersville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9192ACessna 170A
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891126066269A
- Case key
- 32536
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
Continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions by a non-instrument rated pilot resulting in spatial disorientation and a loss of aircraft control. Factors contributing to the accident were: the pilot's overconfidence in his ability to fly in instrument conditions, the adverse weather conditions, the dark night, and the pilot's lack of night flying experience.
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 the pilot's initial wx briefing at 1101, he was advised VFR flight not recommended through mountains until cold front had passed. During a later 1331 wx briefing he was informed that wx conditions were deteriorating south of roanoke, VA, through his destination airport. There were flt precautions for light-moderate rime icing from freezing level of 8,500 ft to 12,500 ft. later an unidentified acft was observed on radar circling at 8,500 ft, then descend to 5,500 ft, then head southwestbound next to the final approach course for ILS rwy 23 at tri-city regional airport. It then turned westbound at 1810 before disappearing from radar. The airplane was observed descending along a ridgeline; ground fog totally obscured the tops. The aircraft impacted terrain at about a 90-degree nose-down attitude. Pilot's total recorded night time was 5.5 hrs; last flight 1/89. Last biennial 29 months before accident. Pilot had previously spoke of 'pushing the limits' in regard to flying in marginal wx conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9192A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18953
- Airframe hours
- 2,110
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert D. Gale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1989 · 173 hours before
- Departed
- VA87 · Manassas, VA
- Destination
- TYS · Knoxville, TN
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 658 total · 215 in this make and model · 508 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- 100 ft
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRI, 29 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.