Cessna 402B N5855M

Summary

On 16 August 1991 at about 04:51 local time, a Cessna 402B registered N5855M, operated by Hmiel, Gordon D., was involved in an accident near Kathleen, Georgia, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 1991 at 04:51

Classification

Accident

Location

Kathleen, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

32.4506, -83.5803

Aircraft

Cessna 402B

Registration

N5855M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Hmiel, Gordon D.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Live Oak → Hickory

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL91FA161

3 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHILE DESCENDING AT NIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, FOG, THE PILOT'S LACK OF QUALIFICATION IN MULTI-ENGINE AIRCRAFT, HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE SINGLE ENGINE RATED PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS WERE RETURNING FROM FLORIDA AFTER PICKING UP A NEWLY ACQUIRED CESSNA 402. THE PILOT CALLED MACON FSS FOR FUEL AVAILABILITY, AND BEGAN A NIGHT, VFR DESCENT. AT ABOUT 5300 FEET MSL, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN RAPID ALTITUDE EXCURSIONS, WHILE IN A TIGHT, RIGHT HAND TURN. DURING THIS TIME, IT DESCENDED 2600 FEET IN 37 SEC, THEN CLIMBED 1200 FEET IN 12 SEC. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED GRADUALLY RISING TERRAIN AT HIGH SPEED. THE ENGINES WERE BURIED, AND ALL PROP BLADES SHOWED EVIDENCE OF POWER AT IMPACT. WEATHER IN THE AREA WAS REPORTED TO BE: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED WITH FOG. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT MULTI-ENGINE RATED. A PILOT FOR THE SELLER FLEW WITH THE ACCIDENT PILOT A FEW HRS PRIOR TO THE CRASH; HE REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY FLYING THE AIRPLANE. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE ACCIDENT PILOT GET ADDITIONAL TRAINING PRIOR TO LEAVING FLORIDA, BUT THE ACCIDENT PILOT REFUSED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.