Pilot Debrief

Foster John Glasair III near Oxford, CT — 2010-01-13

Final reportERA10LA113
Sign in to save
Date
2010-01-13
Location
Oxford, CT, USA
Airport
OXC
Aircraft
Foster John Glasair III
Registration
N540WF
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path during visual conditions at dusk, which resulted in an in-flight collision with power lines.

NTSB narrative

During a visual approach, at dusk, to a runway with an operating precision approach path indicator (PAPI), the pilot flew well below the approach path and collided with power lines on the final approach leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot had accumulated a total of 7.2 hours of night flight experience and his most recent night flight was more than 4 years prior to the accident. The accident occurred 11 minutes after sunset and 20 minutes before the end of civil twilight. The darker lighting conditions would have required the pilot to rely more on approach aids such as the PAPI lights. Examination of the wreckage and data recovered from an engine instrument system did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions of the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing when descending below the approach path.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

Related mishaps