RADAR SIGNAL DATA RECORDED THE SUBJ ACFT MOVING NORTHWEST IN A SHALLOW CLIMB. THE TRACK DATA TERMINATED ABT 0538 C.D.T. OR ABT 12 MINUTES INTO THE FLT. A WITNESS NEAR THE VOR STATION STATED HE HEARD AN ACFT FLYING OVERHEAD, ABT THE TIME THE FAA REPORTED LOSING THE SIGNAL FM THE RADAR SCOPE. THE WITNESS LISTENED INTENTLY FOR THE SOUND OF THE ACFT ENG WITH EXPECTATION OF THE SOUND TO FADE INTO THE DISTANCE, BUT HE DID NOT HEAR ADDITIONAL ENG SOUND. WX COND'S FOR THE AREA CONSISTED OF MARGINAL VFR AND IFR CONDITION WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MOVING INTO THE ST. LOUIS AREA. ACCORDING TO AVAILABLE PERSONAL FLT RCRDS, THE PIC WAS NOT PROPERLY QUALIFIED IN INSTRUMENT FLT COND'S AND WAS NOT CURRENT FOR FLT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL COND'S. THE ACFT ACCIDENT EXAM DID NOT REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT FLT CONTROL PBLMS.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..FOG

Contributing Factors

LIGHT CONDITION..DARK NIGHT

Contributing Factors

SPATIAL DISORIENTATION..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

INADEQUATE TRAINING..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME..PILOT IN COMMAND

Index for Sep1986 | Index of months