Horry County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Conway, South Carolina 29526
Monday, October 31, 1994 2:35 EST

THE COMMERCIAL/CFI WAS FLYING A VOR/DME APPROACH, AT NIGHT, TO AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD. HE WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE CLOSEST WEATHER STATION WAS REPORTING 200 FOOT OVERCAST SKIES. THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF LOW GROUND FOG, AND ASKED THE LEFT SEAT PILOT (NOT INSTRUMENT RATED) TO LOOK FOR THE RUNWAY. AT THE MISSED APPROACH POINT, THE RUNWAY WAS NOT IN SIGHT, AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A MISSED APPROACH. AFTER ABOUT 180 DEGREES OF TURN, THE LEFT SEATER CALLED OUT THAT HE THOUGHT HE SAW THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT LOOKED OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER, OUT THE LEFT, REAR WINDOW, FOR THE RUNWAY. HE DID NOT RECALL ANY SUBSEQUENT EVENTS, BUT STATED THAT HE WAS HAVING NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT OR INSTRUMENTS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TALL TREES ABOUT 1/2 MILE EAST OF THE RUNWAY. A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UNTIL THE COLLISION OCCURRED. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS CFI CERTIFICATE 5 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE DURING THE MISSED APPROACH, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS (LOW CEILING, FOG), AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT.