Horace Williams Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Wednesday, May 25, 1994 14:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 27. THE PILOT REPORTED THE SURFACE WINDS TO BE FROM THE SOUTH AT 7 TO 10 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 15 KNOTS. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL. FACTORS WERE THE CROSSWINDS AND GUSTS PREVAILING AT THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHAPEL HILL
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27514
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 HORACE WILLIAMS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W52
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 509
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 25 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1748
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8527Q
NTSB Number ATL94LA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model A185F
Aircraft Series Identifier A185F
Aircraft Serial Number 18503726
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 2020
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTH STATE AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1236
Aircraft Owner City CHAPEL HILL
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27514
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COFFMAN, EDWARD K.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 779
Operator City CARRBORO
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27312
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 No
Departure Airport Code CUB
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 27
Runway Length 4005
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --