# NTSB MIA96LA123: Vernon L. Cox COX-HAWK, N7VC, Mebane, NC, April 20, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 20, 1996, 10:05 local (14:05 UTC) - Place: Mebane, NC - Coordinates: 36.089229, -79.270568 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0892&lon=-79.2706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report September 24, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38009 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA96LA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38009/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA96LA123 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions in an airplane not equipped with appropriate instrumentation which led to the pilot's inability to maintain control and spatial disorientation. In addition, during an attemped recovery from the loss of control, the airplane exceeded Vne which resulted in failure of the aileron flight control system and flying wires. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the pilot to obtain a preflight weather briefing and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal - aircraft control - uncontrolled, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled - wing,bracing wire - overload - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing - Nose over, emergency landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis During cruise flight the pilot encountered adverse weather ahead. He initiated a 180-degree turn but inadvertently entered clouds. The pilot became spatially disoriented and the airplane began descending with the airspeed increasing beyond Vne. The aileron system then failed and 2 of the 6 flying wires for the left wing also failed. The flight descended below the base of the clouds about 1,300 feet above ground level and the pilot made a forced landing into a field. After touchdown in a rough field the airplane cartwheeled and came to rest upright. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing before takeoff, and the airplane was not equipped with instruments for controlling the airplane without reference to terrain. ## Factual narrative On April 20, 1996, about 1005 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Cox-Hawk, N7VC, registered to a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Mebane, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The commercial-rated pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight originated about 0945 from a private airstrip near Apex, North Carolina. The pilot stated that he did not obtain a weather briefing before takeoff. After departure during cruise flight between cloud layers with adverse weather ahead, he initiated a turn to perform a 180-degree turn to avoid the weather. The airplane which was not equipped with an attitude indicator or turn coordinator then entered clouds. The pilot further stated that the airplane began descending with the airspeed increasing beyond the designed never exceed speed(Vne). During the descent he felt buffeting through the airframe and observed that two of the six flying wires for the left wing were failed and the aileron flight control system was failed. The airplane emerged from the clouds about 1,300 feet above ground level and the pilot arrested the descent then selected a field for the forced landing. After touchdown in a rough field, the airplane cartwheeled and came to rest upright. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7VC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7VC), registered now, S/N A001, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: VERNON L. COX COX-HAWK - Registry model: [Cox Vernon L COX HAWK](https://openairdocs.org/model/cox-vernon-l-cox-hawk) (registry code 05625V5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: A001 - Airframe hours: 170 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Vernon L. Cox - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 15, 1996, 22 hours before - Departed: NC81, APEX, NC - Destination: MTV, MARTINSVILLE, VA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; private, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 8,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 8,000 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,200 ft overcast - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: RDU, 26 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 19960420007989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960420007989A), Apr 20, 1996: Amtr HAWK, Mebane, NC, Substantial damage. Flew into adverse weather. Made 180 but entered clouds. No IFR gauges. Lost control. Over vne. Aileron wires broke. 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.