Quest KODIAC 100 N969TB

Summary

On 28 February 2018 at about 00:25 local time, a Quest KODIAC 100 registered N969TB, operated by Pegasus of Montana LLC, was involved in an accident near Georgetown, Florida, 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

28 February 2018 at 00:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Georgetown, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Mount Royal (3FL0)

Coordinates

29.4306, -81.6764

Aircraft

Quest KODIAC 100

Registration

N969TB

Category

Airplane

Year built

2016

Engines

1

Operator

Pegasus of Montana LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Georgetown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA18FA092

2 people died.

The pilots' spatial disorientation while maneuvering for landing in night conditions over unlighted terrain, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with water.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger were returning to the airport in night visual meteorological conditions with a cloud ceiling about 1,500 ft above ground level. Radar data indicated that the airplane overflew the airport and completed a 360° descending right turn and overflew the airport again before entering an approximate 180° left climbing turn toward and over an unlighted area within a densely-wooded national forest. The airplane continued the left turn and entered a descent to impact in a river about 1 mile from the airport. All major components of the airplane were recovered from the river except the outboard section of the left wing and the left aileron. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Because each of the two pilots onboard would have been capable of safely landing the airplane, it is unlikely that an acute event from either occupant's heart disease contributed to the accident. The night conditions, which included overcast clouds that would have obscured the nearly full moon, and the pilots' maneuvering for landing over an area devoid of cultural lighting provided conditions conducive to the development of spatial disorientation. It is likely that the pilots experienced a "black hole" illusion while maneuvering to align with the runway for landing, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with water.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.