Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spartanburg, South Carolina 29303
Saturday, May 7, 1994 11:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKEOFF, BLACK SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE BY A PILOT IN ANOTHER AIRPLANE. THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS ASKED IF HE HAD A SMOKE GENERATOR ON BOARD, AND HE REPLIED THAT HIS AIRPLANE WAS ON FIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN OBSERVED TO TURN DOWNWIND, FLY FOR ABOUT A MINUTE IN LEVEL FLIGHT, AND TURN TOWARD THE AIRPORT. AS THE TURN GOT STEEPER, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED INVERTED, IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND BURNED. FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRFRAME AND MELTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE ACCESSORY SECTION. THE NOSE CASE, AND MOST CONNECTING FUEL AND OIL LINES WERE ALSO DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. EXAMINATION OF AN EXHAUST FLANGE FOUND IN THE CHARRED DEBRIS REVEALED AN ELLIPTICAL PATTERN ON THE OUTER SURFACE; THE COLOR SHADES RANGED FROM A SOOTY BLACK TO WHITE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT A LARGER ENGINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE, AND A NEW AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THE MAJOR ALTERATION. NO SOOT DEPOSITION WAS PRESENT WITHIN THE PILOT'S RESPIRATORY TREE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS AN INFLIGHT FIRE FROM AN UNDETERMINED SOURCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1118
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SPARTANBURG
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29303
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1140 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 972
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 5000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1125
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:10AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1101A
NTSB Number ATL94FA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Nord (SNCAN)
Aircraft Model 1101
Aircraft Series Identifier 1101
Aircraft Serial Number 107
Certified Max Gross Weight 7435
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 11 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 2288
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name APELQUIST, PHILIP E.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4402 SW 56TH AVE
Aircraft Owner City DAVIE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33314
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation 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
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SPA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SPA
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --