Cessna 340 N194S

Summary

On 8 August 1992 at about 01:50 local time, a Cessna 340 registered N194S, operated by Marketplace America, Inc., was involved in an accident near Falmouth, Kentucky, 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

8 August 1992 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Falmouth, Kentucky, United States

Coordinates

38.6699, -84.3308

Aircraft

Cessna 340

Registration

N194S

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Marketplace America, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

MacOn → Grand Rapids

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC92FA150

1 person died.

THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT SPIRAL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE; THE PILOT'S LACK OF FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE; AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUISING AT 16,500 FEET AT NIGHT WHEN RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WERE LOST. THE PILOT MADE NO DISTRESS RADIO CALLS. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED THE AIRPLANE IN A LEFT DESCENDING TURN. OTHER AIRPLANES WERE DEVIATING AROUND WEATHER IN THE AREA. GROUND WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO IMPACT AND REPORTED RAIN. THE PILOT STARTED FLYING LESSONS IN MARCH AND RECEIVED HIS MULTI-ENGINE RATING IN JUNE. HE HAD A TOTAL OF 142 HOURS FLIGHT TIME, WITH 25 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE AND 9 HOURS TOTAL NIGHT TIME. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.