Peterson Allen L DRAGONFLY II N360KK

Summary

On 11 June 2009 at about 18:33 local time, a Peterson Allen L DRAGONFLY II registered N360KK was involved in an accident near Arthur, Nebraska, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 2009 at 18:33

Classification

Accident

Location

Arthur, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

41.5703, -101.6917

Aircraft

Peterson Allen L DRAGONFLY II

Registration

N360KK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Valentine → Tuscon

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA350

1 person died.

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to the use of a over-the-counter medication with sedative effects and spatial disorientation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to radar track data, the airplane proceeded on a south-southwest course after takeoff. Approximately 48 minutes later, the airplane abruptly reversed course, proceeding northbound. It was approximately 400 feet above ground level at that time. About one minute later, the airplane entered a left turn and flew nearly three complete 360-degree turns, each with a successively smaller turn radius. The airplane gained approximately 1,200 feet in altitude from the time of the initial course reversal until the third 360-degree turn. The airplane then entered a descending, right turn and impacted the terrain about 45 seconds later. The accident site was located on open, marshy terrain. A postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with preimpact failure. Instrument weather conditions prevailed at the accident site, with local cloud ceilings as low as 600 feet above ground level. Advisories were in effect for instrument flight rules conditions. There was no record of the pilot obtaining a pre-flight weather briefing from Flight Service or Direct User Access Terminal System (DUATS); although, comments to an individual at the departure airport indicated that the pilot was aware of marginal weather conditions along his intended route of flight. Toxicology results were consistent with the pilot’s recent use of an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedating and impairing effects.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.