# NTSB NYC06CA177: Beech A36, N5363P, Somerville, NJ, July 16, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 16, 2006, 00:15 local (04:15 UTC) - Place: Somerville, NJ - Coordinates: 40.626667, -74.669998 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6267&lon=-74.6700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Allentown - NTSB case key (mKey): 64116 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06CA177 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64116/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06CA177 ## Probable cause The pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - fog - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - object - tree(s) ## Analysis As the airplane approached the destination airport at night, the pilot cancelled his instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. On final approach, the pilot lost visual contact with the runway environment when the airplane entered a "dense ground fog bank" approximately 100 feet above ground level and 1/4 mile from the runway threshold. The pilot was "blinded" by the reflection of the airplane's landing light in the fog, initiated a go-around, but the airplane struck a tree and impacted terrain seconds later. The pilot stated that he obtained the current Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) report minutes prior to the accident, and the field was "within VFR parameters." The pilot was also aware of the possibility of ground fog. The meteorological aerodrome report (METAR) for the time of the accident included 1 mile visibility in fog, with vertical visibility of 100 feet. The METARs for the preceding 4 hours showed the visibility to be equal or less than 2 miles due to fog and mist. ## Factual narrative As the Beech A36 approached the destination airport at night, the pilot cancelled his instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. On final approach, the pilot lost visual contact with the runway environment when the airplane entered a "dense ground fog bank" approximately 100 feet above ground level and 1/4 mile from the runway threshold. The pilot was "blinded" by the reflection of the airplane's landing light in the fog, initiated a go-around, but the airplane struck a tree and impacted terrain seconds later. The pilot stated that he obtained the current Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) report minutes prior to the accident, and the field was "within VFR parameters." The pilot was also aware of the possibility of ground fog. The meteorological aerodrome report (METAR) for the time of the accident included 1 mile visibility in fog, with vertical visibility of 100 feet. The METARs for the preceding 4 hours showed the visibility to be equal or less than 2 miles due to fog and mist. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5363P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5363P-2013-08-21), registration cancelled 2013-08-21, S/N E-980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech A36 - Registry model: [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (registry code 1151604) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: E 980 - Airframe hours: 4100 - Engines: Teledyne Continental IO-520 BB 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2006 - Departed: KHTO, East Hampton, NY - Destination: KSMQ, Somerville, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KSMQ, Somerset Airport, runway 12, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 2,875 total, 2,300 in this make and model, 2,650 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night - Wind: 290° at 3 knots - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 100 ft indefinitevv - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: ksmq ## 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 20060716014809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060716014809A), Jul 16, 2006: Beech A36, Somerville, NJ, Substantial damage. (-23) The airman stated he departed hto at approximately 2245 local time for a flight home to smq. The airman filed an instrument flight plan, departed and… 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.