- Date
- September 21, 1991, 05:45 local (09:45 UTC)
- Place
- Gainesville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N931JLJohn H. Logan Loganair I
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910921041999A
- Case key
- 32928
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 non-instrument rated pilot in command's decision to depart under special visual flight rule clearance in instrument flight rules conditions during darkness with a failed vacuum pump and resulting inoperative flight instruments which resulted in an inflight loss of control due to spatial disorientation.
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 vacuum pump failed and non-instrument rated pilot accepted an IFR clearance to land at Gainesville. During the approach the pilot descended below assigned altitude and conflicted with other traffic. After landing the pilot did not have the vacuum pump repaired. The next morning the pilot called fss and request a special VFR clearance to depart Gainesville while it was still dark and IFR conditions. Shortly after departure the flight was observed maneuvering at a low altitude and pitch up and enter clouds. The flight then descended from the clouds and collided with the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N931JL
- Reported as
- John H. Logan Loganair I
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JL3054
- Airframe hours
- 165
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- John H. Logan
- Registered owner
- John H. Logan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 20, 1990 · 100 hours before
- Destination
- 1X4 · Boynton Beach, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 165 in this make and model · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 10 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.