WILMINGTON, OH, USA
N236JS
BEECH A36
THE ACFT WAS ON A LOCAL NIGHT FLIGHT TO SEE THE XMAS LIGHTS OF DAYTON FROM THE AIR. A PAX STATED THAT WHEN SHE THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO LAND THE ACFT HIT TREES. THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL ENGINE SOUND, OR ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FLIGHTS. THE ACCIDENT OCCURED ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE AIRPORT. THE LEFT SEAT PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT-RATED. THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT WAS THE ACFT OWNER, AND WAS INSTRUMENT RATED. THE PILOT OPERATING THE CONTROLS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT DETERMINED. THERE ARE NO FAA-APPROVED APPROACHES FOR THE ARPT; HOWEVER, THE OWNER HAD DESIGNED A LORAN-C APPROACH AND TWO R-NAV APPROACHES FOR PERSONAL USE. THE ACTIVE WAYPOINT FOUND IN THE ACFT'S LORAN UNIT COINCIDED WITH THE ARPT. THE OWNER WAS DESCRIBED AS A PERSON WHO ' WAS PROUD OF, AND WOULD BE EAGER TO SHOW OTHER PILOTS FLYING THE AIRPLANE, THE PROCEDURES FOR USE OF THE EQUIPMENT INSTALLED.'
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE NIGHT CONDITIONS, REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG, AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE PILOTS DIVERTED THEIR ATTENTION TO THE OPERATION OF THE LORAN EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
