Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Cessna 210-5 (205), N8149Z: Fatal accident occurred December 04, 2022 near Cleburne Regional Airport (KCPT), Johnson County, Texas

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

Investigator In Charge (IIC): Williams, David

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entities:
Kevin Taylor; Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas


Location: Cleburne, Texas
Accident Number: CEN23FA057
Date and Time: December 4, 2022, 20:56 Local 
Registration: N8149Z
Aircraft: Cessna 210-5(205)
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On December 4, 2022, about 2056 central standard time (CST), a Cessna 210-5 airplane, N8149Z, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Cleburne, Texas. The certificated instrument flight instructor and the airline transport pilot were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The crew had departed Fairmont Municipal Airport, Fairmont, West Virginia, about 1116 eastern standard time (EST) enroute to a planned final destination of Granbury Regional Airport (GDJ), Granbury, Texas. A review of archived automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane landed at Upshur County Municipal Airport, Buckhannon, West Virginia, about 1133 EST. It departed about 1209 and returned to the airport about 1215. Fueling records indicate that 41.49 gallons of fuel was purchased at 1142 and an additional 16.96 gallons was purchased at 1220. About 1233, it departed again and flew to the Covington Municipal Airport, Covington, Tennessee, and landed about 1527 CST. About 1615 CST, the airplane departed and landed at Cleburne Regional Airport (CPT), Cleburne, Texas, about 2022 CST. While at CPT, the crew communicated with the owner of the airplane and informed him that they had stopped for additional fuel to ensure they would have enough in the event of a missed approach at GDJ. A fuel purchase receipt showed that the crew purchased 20 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel.

An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for a flight from CPT to GDJ. The crew subsequently contacted air traffic control to receive their IFR clearance, which consisted of an assigned heading of 090 and a climb to 3,000 ft above mean sea level (msl). They subsequently departed from CPT about 2055. No further communications from the crew were received by air traffic control.

After departure from runway 15, the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 1,775 ft msl and began a right turn. After turning about 90°, a rapid descent began as the airplane continued the right turn. The last ADS-B data point was recorded when the airplane was about 1,275 ft msl (505 ft above ground level).

Surveillance video, from about ¾ mile northeast of the accident location, captured audio of the airplane’s departure and both audio and video of the impact. During the video, no abnormal engine sounds were observed. A witness, located about 300 yards southeast of the accident location stated that the airplane appeared to be at a “low altitude, right-hand bank at a high rate of speed” just before the impact. He stated that the engine sounded as if it was operating at a high power setting.

The airplane impacted a vacant construction site on a 340° ground track in a right-wing low orientation. The initial point of impact was identified by remnants of the right navigation light lens and right wingtip. The airplane continued on the same track and the main wreckage was located about 80 ft from the initial impact point with the total debris field extending about 240 ft. During impact, the airplane exploded and was mostly consumed by fire.

A post-accident examination confirmed flight control continuity from the cockpit to the rudder, elevator and the left aileron through tension separation of the control cables. The right aileron control continuity was partially established with a small section of the direct cable not observed at the time of the examination; the breaks observed were consistent with tension overload and the right aileron cables remained attached to the bellcrank and control chain. The engine was examined with a borescope, with no pre-impact anomalies noted. The wing spar forward and aft attach points were visually inspected with no evidence of fatigue or corrosion present. The vacuum pump was recovered and examined with no preimpact anomalies noted.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N8149Z
Model/Series: 210-5(205)
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator: On file 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: IMC 
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: KCPT,854 ft msl
Observation Time: 02:55 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles 
Temperature/Dew Point: 10°C /10°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 7 knots / , 160°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 300 ft AGL
Visibility: 0.5 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.1 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Cleburne, TX
Destination: Granbury, TX (KGDJ)

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: 
Aircraft Explosion: On-ground
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal 
Latitude, Longitude: 32.323764,-97.431479


Jeanette Sue (Stone) Lyons
January 20, 1992 - December 4, 2022
~

Jeanette Sue (Stone) Lyons, known to her family as Peanut, was born on January 20, 1992 in Elizathton, Tennessee. She was the adored wife of William Stewart Lyons IV and lead a life filled with adventure, laughter, and a passion for flying. 

She grew up in the hills of West Virginia in the small town of Pennsboro. She loved riding her dirt bike at the family farm, she earned a brown belt in Karate at a young age, she joined Civil Air Patrol in her teen years and was an active member for many years, she was an Honor Society student in both Middle and High School, she was also a member of the High School Peer Mediation program, she was a cheerleader from a young age through High School, she was also a member of the High School Field and Track Team, and she finished her High School years as a Ritchie County Class of 2010 Salutatorian. 

Jeanette went on to college where she spent a summer interning in Europe and then a backpack trip through Europe with her best friend Taylor Garrison. In December of 2016 Jeanette graduated with a BS in Animal Science from West Virginia University, Morgantown West Virginia.  After leaving University, Jeanette and her devoted canine Nakita traveled around the United States looking for more adventure.  She hiked a portion of the Appalachian Trail; she started out at the beginning in Georgia and came off the trail in Richmond, Virginia. On the trail she earned the nickname Hula Bear due to the hula-hoop she took with her to hula-hoop on the mountain tops.  Nikita hiked along with her and earned the name Kita-Bear on the trail due to her warm coat keeping the hikers warm at night when they would meet up at a shelter.  Kita would continue to travel across the United States with Jeanette and made friends as easily as Jeanette did.  Jeanette eventually landed in the town of Terlinqua, Texas where she met Alex and Marty Whitmore.  Alex and Marty took Jeanette under their wing and Alex started training Jeanette to fly taildragger planes.  This quickly became Jeanettes passion, and she spent several months each year training in Terlinqua with Alex. Jeanette and Kita-Bear continued to travel around the US as Jeanette took jobs to get more experience and flight time.  When Jeanette was to the point in her career to begin instructing, she moved to Dallas Texas to take her first job as a pilot instructor. This would be when her soul mate, William Stewart Lyons IV, met and wooed her, convincing her to begin putting down roots.  Jeanette quickly made friends in the area and joined the Fort Worth 99s, an organization of women pilots who work to support one another and raise funds to help young women learn to fly.  Jeanette also earned a spot flying the BT-13 for the National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, TX and was recently presented with the rank of Colonel in the Commerative Air Force. She loved being able to be a part of this wonderful history of women in aviation.  In 2020, Jeanette and Will began a flight school, Aviate at the Lake in Granbury, Texas, where they both taught students. In 2021, Jeanette took a position as a SIC for Airshare, flying the Phenom300. This year Jeanette was promoted to PIC for Airshare and was absolutely thrilled to be living her dream. Her accomplishments:  Occupation: PIC Commercial Pilot for Airshare; Certificate: Airline Transport Pilot; Ratings: Airline Transport Pilot-Airplane Multiengine Land, Commercial; Privileges: Airplane Single Engine Land, Airplane Single Engine Sea; Type of Ratings: A/EMB-500, A/EMB-505. 

On September 6, 2022, Jeanette and Will gathered their friends and family together in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado to celebrate and witness the joining of two families as they became man and wife.  The last several months of their lives were filled with the joy of seeing their knowing smiles as they called one another ‘my wife’ and ‘my husband’.  A love so pure and real that it spilled over into every room they walked into. 

On December 4, 2022, as Jeanette and her husband Will traveled home from spending time with Jeanette’s family in West Virginia, they lost their lives along with their beloved Kita-Bear in an aviation accident in Cleburne, Texas.  The loss of these beautiful souls has left their family and their many friends across this world heartbroken.  If you had the fortune to know them, remember their laughs, remember Jeanettes love of life and adventure, remember Wills love of sports and sauces, remember Kita-Bears unlimited ability to give cuddles.  But most importantly, remember their love for each other and all of us. 

Preceded in Death: Maternal Grandmother: Laura I Stone; Paternal Great Grandmother: Ann Lee Jones; Maternal Aunt: Edna Snavely. 

Survived by:  Mother: Lou Cindy Ramsey (Kenneth C Ramsey); Father: Charles Mark Jones (Tabitha Jones); Brother: Robert Glenn Hoffman (Stephanie Hoffman); Sister: Jessica Ann Bonnell; Brother: Knox Jones; Brother: Arya Jones; Sister: Hattie Jones; Maternal Grandfather: Muncy G Stone; Paternal Great Grandmother: Adele Boucher; Paternal Grandmother: Katherine Turner; Paternal Grandfather: Gary Jones; Paternal Uncle: Shane Jones (Andrea Herrmann); Paternal Aunt: Kim Adams; Maternal Uncle: Guy Stone.

Funeral Services will be held at a later date. 

Arrangements by Wiley Funeral Home, Granbury, Texas.

William "Will" S. Lyons (IV)
March 16, 1987 - December 4, 2022
~

Will Lyons (William S. Lyons IV) was the first son of William S. Lyons III and Kathleen Lyons, born into the world on March 16th, 1987. For most of his early life, he was known simply as “Billy” – that little blonde kid who was just a delight to be with, who was loving and kind to his younger sibling, Aurora, and who became a faithful friend to everyone he knew, regardless of how others felt. From the very first days of life, it was really evident from his big smile, bright eyes, and sweet, loving disposition that something special had arrived on earth.

It also very quickly became clear that he absolutely loved playing sports and playing games with his family and many friends. He joined T-ball and flag football teams starting at his earliest opportunity and began skiing with his family at only 4 years of age. He was a naturally-gifted athlete and was intensely competitive, becoming very good at the sports he played without much coaching or instruction. For instance, he joined the tennis program at Douglas County High and made the varsity team – yet had never even played tennis before!

That love of sports and games developed into a strong passion for all athletics – but particularly baseball and snowboarding, though he loved football as well. Throughout all levels in school, he played these sports and even carried baseball and snowboarding into his adult life. He had achieved at least college-level skill & abilities in baseball and was truly an outstanding snowboarder with fantastic abilities in the steep mountain backcountry as well as on the jumps and rails of the board park. He also became quite good later in life at disk golf and would make it a point to bring his disk set wherever he went and play courses in all those locations.

Driven by the early desire for an athletics-related career, Will studied in the field of sports medicine at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he graduated with a BS degree in Integrative Physiology in 2010. His love of baseball then led him to try a career in umpiring for Major League Baseball. For two years, he attended the MLB umpiring school in Vero Beach Florida and umpired college-level baseball leagues during the summers as part of that training. He also continued to umpire – and coach – in high school and youth league games.

Will was also quite interested in airplanes and was inspired by building and flying model airplanes as a child with his father. He was fascinated, too, by watching the real airplanes at the local small airport when his grandfather would fly out to visit with his own plane. Yet we did not quite grasp Will’s burgeoning interest in this area.

Upon reaching young adulthood, his grandfather took him up in that plane and let him fly it. Will loved this and took every opportunity to do so when we visited his grandfather. Then, when it later became clear that neither MLB umpiring or physical therapy were going to be his career direction, it occurred to Will that being a professional pilot could be instead. Soon he came to realize that this was really his life’s calling, in fact.

After discussing training options with his parents, Will moved to Washington DC both to aid his aging grandfather and learn to fly using his grandfather’s plane. Will was a kind, gentle, and caring young man who, with his physical therapy background, could provide excellent live-in care to his grandfather. While doing so, Will earned his private pilot’s license and built experience hours by flying his grandfather to all his favorite locations across the country and learning from his grandfather’s extensive 4000+ hour flying knowledge base.

Eventually, his grandfather did require a full-time care facility and Will returned home to begin taking higher levels of flight training with the ATP school in Centennial, Colorado (south suburb of Denver). Through this, Will earned additional pilot ratings of instrument, commercial, multi-engine, flight instructor, and instrument flight instructor. In 2019, he moved to Grapevine Texas (Dallas area) to take an instructor job at the American Flyers flight training school and began amassing hours toward becoming an airline transport pilot.

It was at this job where Will made a great, life-changing step forward. Flight instructor duties took him to many other airports, and at one of those, he met another pilot and extraordinary woman.., Jeanette Stone. Jeanette was an adventurous person who had become a pilot learning to fly tail-dragger aircraft and who was similarly building hours to become an airline transport pilot. Will truly admired her skill, courage, sense of adventure, and her beauty – inside and out. He became her instructor for an instrument rating, but they quickly started building a much greater relationship bond. She came to love his caring compassion for people, and his goofy sense of humor along with his athleticism and desire to both try new things and travel to various places (as afforded by their airplanes). Strong love for all family was also a dominant trait and he connected very well with children – entertaining them and teaching them. So, it was clear he would make a good father, too.

The two became engaged and together they sensed a business opportunity to start their own flight training school at the regional airport near his father’s vacation lakehouse in Granbury, Texas. At this small but bustling tourism-oriented historical town 45 miles southwest of Fort Worth, they purchased the Hyde Flight school and expanded it to become a popular fight training business known as “AV8 at the Lake”. Through it, they provided both basic and higher-level flight training to many of the nearby residents and they became well-known and respected in the community. Jeanette, meanwhile, also became a commercial pilot for Airshare – a private aircraft chartering company – and began to accumulate high quality flight experience in jets by flying many high- profile clients, such as Patrick Mahomes, to widespread domestic and international locations. She earned captain status with that company in the fall of 2022 and was well on her way to realizing her dream and opening the door for Will and her to begin building their future.

Will married Jeanette high in the mountains of Estes Park, Colorado on a beautiful sunny day, Sept 6th, 2022, with many relatives and friends present. Having sold the Texas flight school in the summer, the couple began preparing for a move to Colorado in the later fall to start their forever life together – which in addition to aviation, would include children and frequent snowboarding trips. Will had begun to apply for commercial jet freight pilot jobs and the two began looking for a home in the Denver area, near his father and mother.

Over Thanksgiving in 2022, Will and Jeanette flew the private plane of a close friend up to visit Jeanette’s family in West Virginia. Tragically on the return flight, following a brief routine fuel stop only 20 miles from their home airport, their plane crashed in an accident shortly after takeoff which claimed the lives of them both, along with their beloved dog and their ultra-bright futures together.

Will had found the love of his life along with the career that gave him so much happiness. He smiled a lot anyway, but of late, that smile – along with that special twinkle in his eye – had become a permanent fixture. He loved Jeanette immensely, and in the truest, most admirable ways. She, too, returned that the same to love him – and he was never happier.

Will was preceded in death recently by his paternal grandfather, William Lyons II MD, and Great Aunt, Eileen Serice, maternal grandmother Harriet and grandfather Jerry. He is survived by his mother and father, Kathleen & William Lyons III and by his sister, Aurora; his paternal uncle, Jon, and 1st cousins Janet, Mary, Mark, and Christina C.; his maternal uncle Eric, aunt Jackie, and 1st cousins Claire, Thomas, and Christina Z. And, of course all of his new family on Jeanette’s side.

Additionally, Will, and Jeanette, leave a very large following of close friends and co-workers who loved them both as well. Details of the funeral ceremony and final resting will be forthcoming.

We all knew and felt the great love and care he had for his family and friends. And we all now feel the great loss. Will, and Jeanette, will be sorely missed.

Fly now in peace my son, Will, with your beloved wife Jeanette, and faithful dog Kita forever at your side.

54 comments:

  1. I'm sort of over the articles like this that seek to canonize the dead. They were people....not gods. Geesh

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    1. It was written by their loved ones who are, no doubt, experiencing an inconceivable personal tragedy and loss (saying goodbye to their children). Is it so difficult to chill, to empathize and understand, without becoming personally offended and frustrated, to the point of feeling the need to publicly criticize a stranger's ultimate expression of grief?

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    2. Well said Anonymous @ 9:56pm

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    3. 💕 Thank you at 9:56 PM. 💞

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    4. Over the past month or so when this site was not being updated and I was concerned about the wellbeing of the webmaster, it occurred to me more than once that maybe they just needed a break from the soul-less comments like this one, complaining about a deceased pilot's obituary wording.
      All fatal accidents are a tragic loss to family and friends, maybe sometimes more so when the deceased are so young and had such bright futures ahead. It's sad to see so little compassion for grieving families. I hope others will think twice before feeling the need to share negative sentiments like this.
      Welcome back, Kathryn's Report!

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    5. Yes, was concerned as well with the long absence.
      Well written, Perseidgirl - and agreed on your points.

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    6. What a jerk. Life can be hard but it's especially hard for stupid people like you. I hope you hate every day.

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    7. Pardon my French, but you’re an @$$hole

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    8. Nobody cares what you are or aren't over, immature whiner.

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    9. Did someone force you to read throught the obituaries, or are you just weak-minded?

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    10. You won't have to worry about anyone trying to cannonize a sod like yourself.

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    11. I see, Anonymous Turd, that you are quiet now, no more hurtful remarks, no apologetic answer to being such a fecal lump, who will write a memorable message about your pathetic life, unless you change....in silence.

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    12. They’re the decedents’ obituaries, you soulless pile of lard.

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    13. I am the sister to William S. Lyons IV and I would like thank you to everyone here for their words. I found this website because I was having a very hard time with depression and trying to find some answers to this horrifying event. I flew as my brothers co-pilot earlier this year in the same aircraft that crashed for a family vacation, personally I don’t believe that either of them could have had spatial disorientation because they were always double and triple checking (they were a little ocd). I don’t really know what happened, but I’m desperate to find out beyond what’s been released ( the NTSB is still investigating ).

      If you knew Will or Jeanette there is a remembrance page on Facebook called Remembering Will and Jeanette

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    14. We are all terribly sorry for the tragic loss of your brother and SIL.
      They were both probably perfectionists as you say but that does not prevent pilots crashing because of SD. It can happen to anyone, given the wrong conditions.

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    15. Attacks on Kathryn are highly unwarranted.

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  2. Replies
    1. This accident is similar to N310JA.

      http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2021/11/cessna-t310r-n310ja-fatal-accident.html

      Takeoff into night conditions and sudden black hole. The airplane's acceleration give the false impression the plane is in too steep of a climb. Pilot pushes the nose down. It's a dangerous phenomenon that can catch off guard even an accomplished pilot.

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  3. Report is slightly incorrect. Vis was reported @ 0255 UTC with 2,5 SM instead of 0,5 SM. But it is never a good idea - even so perfectly legal in Part 91 operations - to take off under conditions that do not allow for a return in case of an emergency. GPS RW15 shows DA of 400 ft AGL, LOC RW15 MDA of 600 ft AGL

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    1. Interesting to compare weather reports as they made the decision to commit to a 2022 CST arrival landing at Cleburne Regional Airport (CPT), Cleburne, Texas:

      Forty seven minutes prior to arrival:
      MET08212/04/22 19:35:01 METAR KCPT 050135Z 14006KT 8SM BKN004 OVC009 10/10 A3011 RMK A01

      Twenty seven minutes prior to arrival:
      MET08512/04/22 19:55:01 METAR KCPT 050155Z 14006KT 3SM BR BKN004 OVC009 10/10 A3010 RMK A01

      Seven minutes prior to arrival:
      MET08212/04/22 20:15:01 METAR KCPT 050215Z 15005KT 2 1/2SM BR OVC003 10/10 A3010 RMK A01

      While on ground at CPT:
      MET07812/04/22 20:35:01 METAR KCPT 050235Z 15006KT 5SM BR OVC003 10/10 A3010 RMK A01

      Two minutes after takeoff (full readout):
      MET08212/04/22 20:55:01 METAR KCPT 050255Z 16007KT 2 1/2SM BR OVC003 10/10 A3010 RMK A01

      Checking on their Granbury destination (just 20 miles away):
      KGDJ 050155Z AUTO 14006KT 10SM OVC005 10/10 A3010 RMK AO2 T01030099,M
      KGDJ 050215Z AUTO 14005KT 7SM OVC005 11/10 A3010 RMK AO2 T01050100,M
      KGDJ 050235Z AUTO 14005KT 5SM BR OVC007 11/10 A3010 RMK AO2 T01050100,M
      Granbury reports they didn't see (post crash):
      KGDJ 050255Z AUTO 14008KT 5SM BR OVC007 11/10 A3009 RMK AO2 T01050098,M
      KGDJ 050315Z AUTO 14010KT 10SM OVC005 10/10 A3007 RMK AO2 T01030097,M
      KGDJ 050335Z AUTO 15009KT 10SM OVC005 11/10 A3008 RMK AO2 T01050097,M

      Almost home. Could have tied down at Cleburne and called someone to drive them that last 20 miles. Taking off under conditions that impede successful return in case of an emergency should not be allowed to become a Normalization of Deviance (see Challenger Space Shuttle accident).

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    2. I heard or read somewhere that they shot an approach (to or below minimums) into Cleburne but had not filed an IFR flight plan.

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  4. Vacuum pump / attitude indicator failure ??

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    1. Post accident vacuum pump test showed normal operation....

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    2. vacuum pump has a hose connecting it to the AI. if that hose has a leak, guess what happens... if the AI seizes up, guess what happens...

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  5. not knowing when their day started, then a long day of rugged instrument flight below 4,200ft. per flightaware log leads to SD as a likely cause on departure.
    as to SD, "general aviation airplane accidents involved SD. Those accidents were associated with low ceilings, restricted visibility, precipitation, darkness and instrument flight conditions. Pilots in certain professions, particularly those in business, were more involved in SD accidents. Pilots in SD accidents were more often under pressure, fatigue, anxiety, physical impairment and alcohol or drugs." https://doi.org/10.1177/154193129503900

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  6. As an instructor on the 210 since the mid 1980s, it is easy to enter into a spin with just half a ball of skid or slip while the airspeed decays to Vs with a small amount of aileron in the opposite direction. This could easily happen at night in IMC.

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    1. - The airplane impacted a vacant construction site on a 340° ground track in a right-wing low orientation.
      - The airplane continued on the same track and the main wreckage was located about 80 ft from the initial impact point with the total debris field extending about 240 ft.

      Doesn't sound too much like no spin to me. Not even a little bit.

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    2. - After departure from runway 15, the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 1,775 ft msl and began a right turn. After turning about 90°, a rapid descent began as the airplane continued the right turn.
      - A witness, located about 300 yards southeast of the accident location stated that the airplane appeared to be at a “low altitude, right-hand bank at a high rate of speed” just before the impact.

      A takeoff at later at night in poor visibility with fatigue, followed by a right turn and descent that continued until impact. Sounds much more like spatial disorientation. This scenario is fairly typical for this type of accident.

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    3. I found some more information, the FAA had some ADS-B data which is not shown on Flight Aware or ADS_B Exchange. Now it looks like spatial disorientation, looking at a picture of the instrument panel the airplane was fitted with only one artificial horizon.

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    4. Yes, my instructor would always yell at me, "Step on the ball ... get the airspeed up, and keep the ball centered."

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  7. I second all the comments concerning the site updates. glad to see the site back up and running . I cannot imagine the work that goes into keeping a site like this up. I learn a lot from the narratives and the comments (well some of them. some I think the poster should have kept to themselves).

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  8. Obviously a long day of flying. Winding up the day in night hard IMC. Both apparently very experienced pilots. Unfortunately gettheritus and fatigue claims two more. So sad...

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  9. So sad to read this. I was doing maintenance at an airport close to KCPT that evening and the weather was garbage. I agree with all the comments about possible spatial disorientation at the end of a very long day of slogging it out westbound into the wind at low altitude.

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  10. Sad situ, RIP. They sound like great people with a passion for flight.

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  11. Years ago we had a couple perish in a crash where they shot an approach into an airport that had an approach and then tried to scud run to their home airport about 5 miles away. Sometimes the decisions we make have life changing consequences, but then that is what life is all about!

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    Replies
    1. Unbelievable. Ok, maybe not. Country of the free and that stuff.

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  12. I see, Anonymous Turd, that you are quiet now, no more hurtful remarks, no apologetic answer to being such a fecal lump, who will write a memorable message about your pathetic life, unless you change....in silence.

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  13. Instrument (AI, for example) failure? The can be gradual and difficult to detect, and this couple was an experienced pair...

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    1. The AI is most likely to fail on rotation due to the forces on it. Also the worst time for it to fail if you like departing into 200 foot ceilings.

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  14. My sincerest condolences and deepest sympathy to the families of this aviation couple.

    - Some questions for thought. 1) Had they flown this particular aircraft previously? 2) If so, was it VFR only or had they flown it in actual / hard IMC? or was this the first time flying this particular aircraft for the owner?
    - I'm going to agree with the comments on Spatial Disorientation. This is why.
    - This particular aircraft N8149Z was manufactured prior to 1967 and was not equipped with the standardized six pack Instrument configuration which is fine in VFR conditions. (Link provided below with pictures when aircraft was last for sale)
    This aviation couple trained their entire aviation careers with the standardized six pack Instrument configuration and trained their minds and muscle memories to that standard. Now let's throw in actual IMC and the Non-Standardized Instrument Configuration into the mix and it can become quite difficult to overcome Spatial Disorientation, especially if you have never trained for it with the Non-Standardized Instrument Configuration.

    https://www.aircraft.com/aircraft/198858825/n8149z-1963-cessna-205

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    1. If the PIC was well experienced at hand flying in actual IMC, that instrument placement with airspeed on one side of the attitude indicator and heading on the other side (that they had flown with all day on a return trip that doubled their familiarity with that panel) didn't hamper the initial task of climbing out straight until it was time to start the intended left turn.

      Could be as simple as the instrument lighting circuit failing after rotation but they didn't have a flashlight ready. And they were young enough to fall into the group who would expect to use their phone as a flashlight and not carry one separately.

      NTSB may do the typical bulb filament analysis on the attitude indicator to determine whether it was lit at impact unless fire damage and instrument crushing precludes. Seems like that would be important to check in such a case as this.

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  15. Geez that’s an old panel, sort of a shotgun arrangement of instruments. Combine that with pneumatically powered horizon and DG and probably not very good instrument lighting and the odds of a loss of control crash in IMC are a bit more than I would be willing to take. No autopilot or FD either. I vaguely remember being young and invincible, seems like a long time ago.

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    1. Listing and photos show Garmin 530W & single axis autopilot.

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    2. I've been working on my instrument rating in a C172, original 6 pack panel, Garmin 430W GPS, no autopilot. My long cross country took me over 4 hours, included no stops, shot an approach at each airport, 1/2 of the flight was in clouds (IMC), it was windy, and the air was rough. I feel sorry for a pilot that can't fly an aircraft unless he has an autopilot and fight director. And a bit envious of those that have an aircraft with an autopilot. I'm all for having an AP to take some of the load when I'm in IMC. But I don't. The point is, the old panel, unless something failed, isn't likely to be the problem.

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  16. NTSB reporting routinely falls short of informing on the ADM context.
    Some unaddressed questions:
    - Was the 11:16 AM start from WV preplanned or due to a delay?
    - Did informing the 210's owner about the Cleburne fuel stop include coordinating an arrival meet up in Granbury to get the owners hangar open?
    - Was pilot J.S.Stone(Lyons) scheduled to crew on Airshare's Phenom 300 N325AS flight out of their Fort Worth Meacham KFTW operation the next morning that got airborne at 1240Z (6:40 AM CST)?
    - Was it possible to determine from wreckage who sat left seat?

    Learning from accident reports would be improved by including that information even if not a direct cause. Listing such information might help others adjust personal ADM limits after considering the lowered margins of safety that schedule pressure can bring into decision making.

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  17. Sad, what a beautiful and accomplished woman

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  18. It does sound like spatial disorientation. I found a picture of the panel, not very impressive. One attitude indicator..I wonder what its age was. When they fail, they often get sluggish, mislead you...possibly causing you to want to believe it for a bit too long before practicing partial panel techniques.
    Do you think the AI was checked in any way at the last annual? No, almost certainly not. Probably not even for AD'S, as doing that would require seeing the back for model and S/N info. Mechanics generally do not disassemble instrument panels to get this info, the suggestion of doing that would be considered outrageous in terms of time and other factors. The info could be in the logbooks? Hmm...maybe, maybe not.. instruments do get switched around. 60 years of hastily handwritten logs might contain errors. Actually, I guarantee they do, and take hours to go through.
    Looking at a picture of this panel, I don't see a "post light" for the AI. The only source of light might have been the instrument, or a crappy light sometimes between the plastic trim and the actual aluminum panel. Or, possibly an overhead cabin light. Those things fail, and under these conditions, no light equals an instrument failure. Right after takeoff, night IMC.
    I watched Scott Purdue's video on this, and he reported weird and intermittent ads-b readings for much of the prior flight. Does that sound like an intermittent electrical problem? It does to me. A random occasional short to ground may have finally caused a breaker to pop at a very bad time, or something went "open circuit". Same result.
    This 60 year old plane was sold recently with new paint and interior, which is useless eye candy. The antique looking panel possibly suggests antique wiring. Look under the panel of a 210 or similar aircraft...take a seat out and lay on your back with a flashlight and look- it is a lot of wiring and tubing in a tight place, near (too often touching) moving parts. With 60 years to age, crack, harden, corrode,, be chafed and pinched by vibration, misrouted by careless mechanics working in a very tight place. Would you totally trust your life to 1963 automotive wiring and one or two filaments? Not me. It's worse, not better, in an airplane.
    These two had some training and experience, but maybe trusted their equipment too much. I wonder how much valuable experience with unreliable machines either of them had, in aviation, or even with cars. They are young enough to possibly never have driven a carbureted car that didn't start instantly. I flight instructed, and was sometimes amused by students who had no idea what "rich", "lean", "flooded", etc even meant. My turbine time includes nothing newer than late 80s stuff, all with a lot of time on it, and it broke. I would not have trusted this aircraft, or rather its sparse, no backups panel, and its (most likely) old electrical system for this particular flight. Having recently bought it makes it just a little scarier yet.
    Instruments, and a lot of other things in GA, and usually replaced when they fail, or show signs of imminent failure, and sometimes your life depends on then.

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    1. I was flying with a guy in an old 182. We turned all the dials. Smoke coming out of panel with the instrument lights. Told him he might want to get that checked out before he flew at night.

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    2. Excellent comment. My family has owned 13 airplanes and a Bell 206. Some were quite new, others not. They all Broke at some point. Mostly electrical and some hydraulic ( Gear pumps, etc). I hold an ATP and am a current CFII. I wouldn't fly my 67 Cherokee 140 IFR as it is....some would and be fine...it doesn't have the more modern 6 pack that started in the 69 PA-28s,( and maybe the 68 Arrow and up.)..Making good decisions all the time is tricky, especially when you're in the Flying biz and fly daily...

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