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November 28, 1989 · Britten-Norman BN-2 · N127JL

Block Island, RI

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 28, 1989
Injury Outcomes
8 injuries (8 fatalities)
Location
Block Island, RI
Aircraft
Britten-Norman BN-2
Tail Number
N127JL
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DCA90MA010

ON DARK (MOONLESS) NGT, NONSCHED/DOMESTIC/PSGR FLT DEPD BLOCK ISLAND FOR WESTERLY, RI, WITH 7 PAX & 2 DOGS. IT CRASHED ALONG RTE IN BLOCK ISLAND SOUND, 3 TO 5 MI NW OF ISLAND (AN AREA LACKING VIS REF ON SFC). LTR, MAIN WRECKAGE WAS FND IN 130' OF WTR. ADNL WRECKAGE & BODIES OF PLT, 3 PAX & 2 DOGS WERE FND. ACFT WAS BADLY DMGD DRG IMPACT (L WING SEPD OTBD OF L ENG, EXTSV DMG TO FWD PART OF ACFT), BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. COML/INST RATED PLT WAS PART TIME EMPLOYEE. HE WAS ON MEDICATION FOR LYME DISEASE, BUT NO PHYSIOLOGICAL PRBLM WAS FND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACDNT. AT APRX 1720 EST, THERE WAS A PIREP OF A BKN CLD LAYER AT 10,000'. ANOTHER PLT, WHO WAS FLYING AT ABT THE SAME TIME, RPRTD SCT CLDS ABV 10,000', OVR 10 MI VIS, WND WESTERLY AT 15 TO 25 MPH & LGT TO MOD TURBC. SIGMET (GOLF 4) WARNED OF MOD OCNL SEV TURBC BLO 6000' & POTENTIAL OF LOW LVL WND SHEAR. ACDNT OCCURRED ALONG BIRD MIGRATORY RTE. THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT FAA INSPN OF BASE, RAMP, COCKPIT (EN RTE CHECK), GND/FLT TRNG PROGRAM, CREW/DISPATCH/TRIP RECORD.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, DURING AN OVERWATER FLIGHT ON A DARK (MOONLESS) NIGHT UNDER A CLOUD LAYER. A SIGMET WAS IN EFFECT WARNING OF MODERATE TO OCCASIONALLY SEVERE TURBULENCE BELOW 6000 FEET AND THE POTENTIAL OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR.

Full Narrative

ON DARK (MOONLESS) NGT, NONSCHED/DOMESTIC/PSGR FLT DEPD BLOCK ISLAND FOR WESTERLY, RI, WITH 7 PAX & 2 DOGS. IT CRASHED ALONG RTE IN BLOCK ISLAND SOUND, 3 TO 5 MI NW OF ISLAND (AN AREA LACKING VIS REF ON SFC). LTR, MAIN WRECKAGE WAS FND IN 130' OF WTR. ADNL WRECKAGE & BODIES OF PLT, 3 PAX & 2 DOGS WERE FND. ACFT WAS BADLY DMGD DRG IMPACT (L WING SEPD OTBD OF L ENG, EXTSV DMG TO FWD PART OF ACFT), BUT NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. COML/INST RATED PLT WAS PART TIME EMPLOYEE. HE WAS ON MEDICATION FOR LYME DISEASE, BUT NO PHYSIOLOGICAL PRBLM WAS FND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACDNT. AT APRX 1720 EST, THERE WAS A PIREP OF A BKN CLD LAYER AT 10,000'. ANOTHER PLT, WHO WAS FLYING AT ABT THE SAME TIME, RPRTD SCT CLDS ABV 10,000', OVR 10 MI VIS, WND WESTERLY AT 15 TO 25 MPH & LGT TO MOD TURBC. SIGMET (GOLF 4) WARNED OF MOD OCNL SEV TURBC BLO 6000' & POTENTIAL OF LOW LVL WND SHEAR. ACDNT OCCURRED ALONG BIRD MIGRATORY RTE. THERE HAD BEEN NO RECENT FAA INSPN OF BASE, RAMP, COCKPIT (EN RTE CHECK), GND/FLT TRNG PROGRAM, CREW/DISPATCH/TRIP RECORD.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:25 EST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBritten-Norman BN-2
Tail NumberN127JL
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-540-E4C5 · Reciprocating · 300
Seats10

People & Injuries

Injury Summary8 injuries (8 fatalities)
Fatal8
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total8
Crew 1Age 46 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind220° @ 17 kt, gusting 24 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point54 / 52
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time22:28
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data