Spartanburg Downtown Apt. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spartanburg, South Carolina 29316
Sunday, April 17, 1994 17:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172K, N711GT TAXIED ONTO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE. HE FAILED TO SEE THE PITTS S-2B, N83TH, ON FINAL APPROACH FOR THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO HIS TAXIING ONTO THE RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE. THE PILOT OF THE PITTS STATED THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE THE CESSNA TAXI ONTO THE RUNWAY AS A RESULT OF THE POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY IN THE PITTS. THE PITTS STRUCK THE LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE OF THE CESSNA DURING THE LANDING FLARE. THE TWO AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA DID NOT POSSESS EITHER A VALID PILOT CERTIFICATE NOR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The inadequate visual lookout by the pilot of Cessna 172K, N711GT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SPARTANBURG
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29316
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPARTANBURG DOWNTOWN APT.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 807
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID SPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 807
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 635
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N711GT N83TH
NTSB Number ATL94LA083A ATL94LA083B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA PITTS
Aircraft Model 172K S-2B
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K S-2B
Aircraft Serial Number 17258811 5093
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1993 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 176 --
Airframe Hours 7376 --
ELT Installed Yes Unknown
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name PENNINGTON, WEEMS R. HAMES, RANDALL K.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1118 ELBERTON HWY. 202 LITTLE JOHN RD.
Aircraft Owner City LINCOLNTON GAFFNEY
Aircraft Owner State GA SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30817 29340
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LINCOLNTON
Destination State GA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff Landing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22 22
Runway Length 5203 5203
Runway Width 100 100
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --