Rockwell 500S accident near Exeter, RI
On February 17, 2002, a Rockwell 500S (airplane) was involved in an accident near Exeter, RI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 17, 2002
- Place
- Exeter, RI
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 500S · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.578°N, 71.523°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020227X00276
Official records · NYC02FA060
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC 3 - Factual Report of Group Chairman: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 1: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 2a: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 2b: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Attachment 2c: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 17, 2002, at 1752 eastern standard time, a Rockwell 500S (Twin Commander), N999N, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain in Exeter, Rhode Island. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Wilmington International Airport (ILM), Wilmington, North Carolina, destined for Newport State Airport (UUU), Newport, Rhode Island. The business flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot's son, the pilot was conducting a regular flight from Naples, Florida, to Rhode Island, in furtherance of his sporting goods business. According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), at 0759:17, the pilot contacted the Saint Petersburg Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and requested a weather briefing for a flight between Naples, Florida, and Wilmington, North Carolina and then to Newport, Rhode Island. At 1408:51, the pilot contacted the Raleigh AFSS and requested a weather briefing between Wilmington, North Carolina, and Newport State, Rhode Island. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC) information provided by the FAA, and interviews of ATC personnel conducted by the Safety Board: At 1711:51, the pilot made initial contact with Providence Approach Control and advised he had the current weather conditions at UUU. He requested the Localizer Runway 22 Approach, with a circle to land on runway 34. Radar data indicated the airplane was at 11,000 feet approximat
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control after encountering icing conditions while on approach for landing. Factors in this accident were the night light conditions and pilot's failure to select the airplane's propeller de-icing switches to the "on" position.
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Browse: Rhode Island · Rockwell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
