Algimantas Jonusas RV-10 N100UK

Summary

On 7 October 2016 at about 17:43 local time, a Algimantas Jonusas RV-10 registered N100UK was involved in an accident near Ashwood, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 October 2016 at 17:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Ashwood, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Ingalls Field (HSP)

Coordinates

37.9761, -79.8619

Aircraft

Algimantas Jonusas RV-10

Registration

N100UK

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jeffersonville → Stevensville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA17CA008

2 people were seriously injured.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning and continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated private pilot obtained weather information from an on-line flight planning website. Before departure, he also telephoned his destination airport and "determined the weather was all OK." He then took off and climbed to 5,500 ft mean sea level for the cruise portion of his flight. He advised that he also checked and monitored weather while en route but that the "fog and clouds came down really thick," so he decided to divert to the nearest airport. While flying toward his diversion airport, the visibility deteriorated and a "TERRAIN ALERT" warning illuminated on his GPS display. He attempted to pull up twice but impacted trees and terrain on the side of a mountain. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured during the impact, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Review of weather observations indicated that an extensive area of low clouds and a large area of marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions existed over the pilot's planned route. Low instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions prevailed at the diversion airport and near the accident site with visibility less than 1/4 mile in heavy rain and overcast ceilings at 100 ft. The MVFR-to-IFR weather conditions had been forecast, and AIRMETs warning of IFR and mountain obscuration conditions had been issued.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.