Lexington Herald Leader Logo

Battery trouble before plane crash | Lexington Herald Leader

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • All News
    • Business
    • Communities
    • Counties
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Lexington
    • Local
    • Most Wanted
    • Nation/World
    • News Photos
    • News Videos
    • Politics
    • Searchable Databases
    • State
    • Watchdog
    • Columns
    • Tom Eblen
    • All Sports
    • UK Sports
    • College Sports
    • Next Cats Recruiting
    • High School
    • Horses
    • Kentucky Speedway
    • Lexington Legends
    • Reds
    • MLB
    • NBA
    • NASCAR
    • NFL
    • Sports Photos
    • Sports Videos
    • Columns
    • John Clay's Columns
    • Mark Story
    • Next Cats Recruiting
    • All UK Sports
    • Next Cats Recruiting
    • Baseball
    • Basketball - Men
    • Basketball - Women
    • Recruiting
    • Ex-Cats
    • Football
    • UK Photos
    • UK Videos
    • More UK Sports
    • Columns
    • John Clay's Blog
    • Mark Story
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • All Entertainment
    • Books
    • Celebrities
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Events Calendar
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Restaurants
    • Stage & Dance
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Entertainment Photos
    • Entertainment Videos
    • News Blogs
    • Kentucky Weather
    • Photo Archive
    • Sports Blogs
    • John Clay's Blog
    • High School
    • UK Football
    • UK Men's Basketball
    • UK Women's Basketball
    • Lexington Legends
    • Entertainment Blogs
    • Walter Tunis on Music
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Joel Pett
    • Letters to the Editor
    • National Columnists
    • Op-Ed
    • Submit a Letter
    • All Living
    • Celebrations
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Fru-Gal: Deb Morris
    • Health & Medicine
    • Home & Garden
    • Paul Prather
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Readers' Choice
    • Kentucky Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Submit an Obituary
    • Customer Service
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • E-edition
    • Page Reprints
    • Photo Reprints
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Site Information
    • Advertise With Us
    • Archives
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Google+
    • Today's Circulars
    • Classifieds
    • Jobs
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Homeseller
    • Legal Notices
  • Place an Ad
  • Mobile & Apps

Latest News

Battery trouble before plane crash

By Greg Kocher - gkocher1@herald-leader.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

April 14, 2009 12:00 AM

The pilot of a single-engine plane that crashed March 25 in Woodford County reported that his "battery was draining down" shortly after takeoff from Bowling Green, according to a preliminary report filed by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The pilot, Dr. Gary Keith Bryson, 57, a Bowling Green obstetrician/gynecologist, died in the crash in a wooded area near Pinckard about three miles west of Blue Grass Airport in Lexington. Bryson was a shareholder in the corporation that owned the plane.

Shortly after departing the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport at 9:17 p.m. EDT, Bryson contacted the Air Route Traffic Control Center in Indianapolis. Such centers provide air traffic control service to planes on flight plans within controlled airspace. A controller in Indianapolis reported having difficulty communicating with the pilot because of poor radio reception.

At 9:26 p.m., Bryson told the controller that he had a low-voltage indication and that his "battery was draining down." The controller asked Bryson about the condition of his engine, and Bryson responded his "engine was fine," but that his battery was draining and that he might "lose radio communication," the report said.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Lexington Herald-Leader

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Bryson said that if he lost communications or his instruments, he had an externally powered global positioning system and a backup communications transmitter. At 9:47 p.m., the controller identified the plane at 37 nautical miles southwest of Lexington and at 2,900 feet.

The plane's altitude and course heading were fluctuating, but the controller continued to give the pilot headings and altitude corrections.

"The controller asked if the pilot wanted to declare an emergency, and if he needed equipment standing by," the report said. "The pilot responded that he had broken out of the clouds, but was losing sight of the ground.

"The controller contacted the pilot to verify that he was not declaring an emergency. The pilot responded that he was not declaring an emergency, and that he did not need any equipment on standby, he just 'needed help getting in.'"

The controller asked the pilot if he could maintain altitude and heading, and Bryson responded "affirmative."

The pilot continued to descend and climb. Shortly thereafter, the controller advised the pilot that he was in a descending left turn. At 9:59 p.m., the controller lost radar and radio communications with the airplane.

A witness said the plane "flew over his home and made two circles in approximately 30 seconds," the report said. "The witness continued by saying that 'the airplane sounded very close, and the engine sounded normal.'"

The witness heard the plane hit the ground and found it behind his home.

The impact left a gouge in the ground about a foot deep and eight feet long, the report said. Wreckage was scattered about 54 yards, the report said.

The plane's airframe was substantially damaged and fragmented.

The airframe and flight control components showed no evidence of mechanical malfunction before the crash, the report said.

Bryson, who had been a pilot for more than 15 years, had accumulated 1,693 total flight hours.

The airplane, a Cessna 182Q, was built in 1980 as a four-seat, high-wing airplane with fixed tricycle landing gear and powered by a Continental O-470-U (17), 230-horsepower engine. A review of the plane's log book showed that an annual inspection was conducted on the engine on Aug. 9, 2008.

The full preliminary report is on the NTSB Web site, www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20090325X35727&key=1

  Comments  

Videos

Murray State sophomore Ja Morant’s moves make him top NBA Draft prospect

This Kentucky player’s skills have grabbed, held national attention

View More Video

Trending Stories

Kentucky Senate approves NRA gun bill on anniversary of Parkland school shooting

February 14, 2019 11:59 AM

Pazzo’s, Magee’s Bakery, Texas de Brazil, Sonic, Qdoba and more on probation

February 15, 2019 06:45 AM

‘A sad day for ... justice system.’ Kentucky detective sentenced for lying in gruesome case

February 14, 2019 02:56 PM

Updated list of restaurants on probation as of February: Read before you eat

February 15, 2019 07:00 AM

Paradise no more. TVA votes to close iconic coal-burning power plant in Kentucky.

February 14, 2019 11:09 AM

Read Next

Latest News

‘Kiss cam’ captures former President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn on Valentine’s Day

By Josh Magness

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 10:59 AM

Former President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn shared a kiss at an Atlanta Hawks game on Valentine’s Day as the NBA team played the Knicks, who won. It was also Love Wins Pride Night for the LGBT community.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Lexington Herald-Leader

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LATEST NEWS

‘Top Chef’ Kentucky: ‘Somebody’s going home for a good dish’ after Ali dinner

TV

‘Top Chef’ Kentucky: ‘Somebody’s going home for a good dish’ after Ali dinner

February 15, 2019 09:30 AM
Parents sue Kanye West for using video clip of 4-year-old girl preaching in SC

Latest News

Parents sue Kanye West for using video clip of 4-year-old girl preaching in SC

February 15, 2019 09:12 AM
Missouri man dumped dachshund in a cold ditch — but left a big clue behind, police say

Latest News

Missouri man dumped dachshund in a cold ditch — but left a big clue behind, police say

February 15, 2019 08:58 AM
He played The Dame in 2004 and he still has the concert poster. Now he’s coming to Rupp.

Music News & Reviews

He played The Dame in 2004 and he still has the concert poster. Now he’s coming to Rupp.

February 15, 2019 08:33 AM
Trump declares national emergency to get $8 billion for wall

National

Trump declares national emergency to get $8 billion for wall

February 15, 2019 02:32 PM
Justices to decide if 2020 census can ask about citizenship

Latest News

Justices to decide if 2020 census can ask about citizenship

February 15, 2019 02:04 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Lexington Herald Leader App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Local Deals
  • Digital Solutions
  • Media Kit
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story