Cessna 150G N73JK

Summary

On 23 January 2012 at about 01:05 local time, a Cessna 150G registered N73JK was involved in an accident near Quincy, Florida, 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

23 January 2012 at 01:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Quincy, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Quincy (2J9)

Coordinates

30.6039, -84.5469

Aircraft

Cessna 150G

Registration

N73JK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Quincy → Jacksonville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA12FA151

1 person died.

The non-instrument-rated pilot’s spatial disorientation in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his inability to maintain controlled flight. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to take off in deteriorating meteorological conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument-rated pilot landed after sunset, refueled the airplane, and took off again about 1 1/2 hours later. A witness, who was in his hangar, did not see the takeoff but heard the engine operate "normally" and noted that fog was developing at the airport at the time. The airplane took off to the southeast, with the destination airport to the east. However, the wreckage path and the accident location indicated that the airplane turned toward the northwest, consistent with flying a downwind leg to return to the departure airport. The airplane subsequently impacted and descended through trees at a relatively shallow angle, with the right wing initially down about 45 degrees. Both propeller and tree impact evidence indicated that the airplane was under power at the time. There was no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal airplane operation. Autopsy results for the pilot indicated severe heart disease with 90 percent blockage of one artery. However, there was no evidence of an acute heart attack, and the degree of cardiac dysfunction or whether it affected the flight could not be determined; no other debilitating condition was found. Toxicology results revealed the presence of an antidepressant that could have caused dizziness, but low postmortem levels indicated an unlikelihood of impairment. It is unknown why the pilot took off in the deteriorating weather conditions. His attempt to return to the airport rather than climb out toward his destination indicated that once airborne, he was not confident in his ability to complete the flight. During the return attempt, the pilot likely became spatially disoriented in the dark, foggy conditions, which then resulted in his inability to maintain controlled flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.