Beechcraft H35 N5481D

Summary

On 10 December 2007 at about 01:50 local time, a Beechcraft H35 registered N5481D, operated by Hugh Bryant, was involved in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 December 2007 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Warrenton, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (W66)

Coordinates

38.6247, -77.7531

Aircraft

Beechcraft H35

Registration

N5481D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hugh Bryant

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Allendale → Warrenton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC08FA056

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach procedure and his failure to maintain the minimum descent altitude which resulted in collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident were the night, instrument meteorological conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a GPS approach to his home airport, during night, instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane was established on the inbound course, when it crossed the final approach fix at the required crossing altitude (2,200 feet). The airplane then continued a gradual descent until it impacted trees about 4 miles from the airport, on the same heading as the inbound course for the approach. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. The pilot had accumulated 683 hours of total flight experience, 67 of which were in actual instrument conditions. The pilot completed his most recent instrument proficiency check (IPC) 5 months prior to the accident, during which he performed four instrument approaches in a simulator (none of which included instrument approaches to the destination airport, which was also his home airport). After the IPC, the pilot accumulated 8.4 hours of actual instrument flight time; however, he did not log any instrument approaches. At the time of the accident, weather included overcast clouds at 300 feet, 1 mile visibility, temperature 6 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 6 degrees C. An employee of the fixed base operator at the airport stated that no other aircraft came into the airport on the day of the accident, as it was "very foggy" all day.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.