On December 26, 1991, a Beech A36 (registration N236JS) operated by John E. Schweller was involved in an aviation accident near Wilmington, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE NIGHT CONDITIONS, REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG, AND THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE PILOTS DIVERTED THEIR ATTENTION TO THE OPERATION OF THE LORAN… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a local night flight to view Christmas lights in Dayton, an aircraft hit trees about one mile from the airport. The pilot operating the controls at the time remains undetermined. No unusual engine sounds were reported.
Accident Details
The accident occurred during a local night flight to view Christmas lights in Dayton from the air. According to a passenger, when she believed the aircraft was preparing to land, it struck trees. No unusual engine sounds or any differences from other flights were noted. The accident site was located approximately one mile from the airport.
Pilot Information
The left-seat pilot was not instrument-rated. The right-seat pilot, who was also the aircraft owner, held an instrument rating. The individual operating the controls at the time of the accident could not be determined.
Approach Information
The airport had no FAA-approved approaches. However, the aircraft owner had designed a LORAN-C approach and two R-NAV approaches for personal use. The active waypoint stored in the aircraft's LORAN unit coincided with the airport's location. The owner was described as someone who was proud of the installed equipment and eager to demonstrate the procedures for using it to other pilots.