Gulfstream American AA-5B N448DM

Summary

On 7 June 2009 at about 22:45 local time, a Gulfstream American AA-5B registered N448DM was involved in an accident near Humbird, Wisconsin, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 2009 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Humbird, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

44.5206, -91.0006

Aircraft

Gulfstream American AA-5B

Registration

N448DM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Elmo → Sheboygan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09FA340

2 people died.

The pilot's decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight into an area of known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument-rated private pilot obtained two weather briefings before departing on the visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight. During the weather briefings he was advised that VFR flight was not recommended because of an active weather advisory for widespread instrument meteorological conditions that encompassed his planned route. The weather advisory was for occasional cloud ceilings below 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) and surface visibilities less than 3 miles with light precipitation/mist. The forecast weather was for ceilings 1,500 to 2,500 feet agl with widely scattered light rain showers and isolated thunderstorms. Approximately 1 hour after departure, several witnesses located near the accident site reported hearing an airplane overfly their position. These witnesses noted that because of a low cloud ceiling, fog, and light precipitation they could not see the airplane. The witnesses reported hearing the sound of an airplane engine operating at a high speed. Several witnesses noted that the loudness of the airplane's engine increased and decreased several times, as if the airplane was turning, before they heard a ground impact. The distribution of the wreckage was consistent with an airplane that experienced a loss of control and an in-flight breakup at low altitude and high airspeed. The challenging visibility conditions were conducive to the onset of pilot spatial disorientation and the airplane's rapid, near-vertical descent is consistent with the pilot's loss of control of the airplane because of spatial disorientation. The postaccident investigation revealed no preexisting mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane or its systems.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.