# NTSB NYC91FA042: Beech A24R, Owls Head, NY, December 5, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 5, 1990, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Owls Head, NY
- Coordinates: 44.710098, -74.079612 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.7101&lon=-74.0796&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36774
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC91FA042
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36774/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC91FA042

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - weather condition - obscuration
  - weather condition - snow
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - snow covered

## Analysis

A NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT AT NIGHT INTO AN AREA OF ADVERSE WEATHER.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2600 FT.  TERRAIN IN THAT AREA ROSE TO AN ELEVATION OF 2856 FT.  AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED INDICATIONS THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A WINGS LEVEL & SLIGHT NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.  WEATHER FOR THE ROUTE AND DESTINATION WAS REPORTED BELOW VFR MINIMUMS.  ABOUT 35 MILES AWAY AT THE NEAREST WEATHER FACILITY (ELEVATION 214 FEET MSL), THE REPORTED WEATHER WAS: 2000 FT BROKEN AND 10 MILES VISIBILITY.  LOCAL RESIDENTS OBSERVED HEAVY SNOW SQUALLS AND HIGH WIND THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: CGJKL (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A24R
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: MC-48
- Airframe hours: 2223
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Arthur G Mayo, doing business as Centennial Aviation
- Registered owner: 128701 Canada Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 10, 1989, 172 hours before
- Departed: YKZ, BUTTONVILLE
- Destination: BTV, BURLINGTON, VT
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 220 total, 172 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/bright

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.

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