Cessna 560 N188CW

Summary

On 20 December 2018 at about 17:10 local time, a Cessna 560 registered N188CW, operated by Chen Aircrafts Llc, was involved in an accident near Atlanta, Georgia, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 December 2018 at 17:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Fulton County Airport-Brown Fi (FTY)

Coordinates

33.7906, -84.4950

Aircraft

Cessna 560

Registration

N188CW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1991

Engines

2

Operator

Chen Aircrafts Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atlanta → Millington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19FA071

4 people died.

The pilot's loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation during initial climb in instrument meteorological conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on an instrument flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Radar data indicated that the airplane entered a left turn after takeoff, consistent with the pilot's instrument clearance. As the airplane climbed to an altitude about 2,410 ft above ground level, its rate of climb increased from about 3,500 ft per minute to 9,600 ft per minute, the stick shaker activated, and the airplane decelerated to about 75 knots. The airplane then entered a descending right turn and rolled inverted before impacting terrain about 1 mile from the airport. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site, and examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions about the time of the accident included an overcast cloud ceiling about 600 ft above ground level. It is likely that the pilot became spatially disoriented after entering the cloud layer, which resulted in the airplane's high rate of climb, rapid loss of airspeed, and a likely aerodynamic stall. The steep descending right turn, the airplane's roll to an inverted attitude, and the high-energy impact are also consistent with a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.