Greenville/Spartanburg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greer, South Carolina 29651
Sunday, November 27, 1994 18:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN DIVERTED FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND HAD COMPLETED TWO MISSED APPROACHES AT AN ALTERNATE. DURING THE THIRD APPROACH, THE PILOT SAW LIGHTS BELOW THE AIRPLANE, AND SHIFTED HIS ATTENTION FROM THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS TO THE LIGHTS. AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT APPROACH LIGHTS. BEFORE HE COULD APPLY POWER AND ESTABLISH A CLIMB ATTITUDE, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE 74-YEAR-OLD PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE STRESS AND FATIGUE OF THE OTHER APPROACHES, AND HIS DESIRE TO MEET A SCHEDULE. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES AND HIS PREMATURE DESCENT BELOW THE PUBLISHED DECISION HEIGHT. A FACTOR WAS PILOT FATIGUE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/27/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1825
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GREER
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29651
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GREENVILLE/SPARTANBURG
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GSP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 972
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1849 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 972
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 1050
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1373
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 27 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6556M
NTSB Number ATL95LA020
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 182P
Aircraft Series Identifier 182P
Aircraft Serial Number 182-63752
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 10 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3500
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COHO INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 510 7TH AVE
Aircraft Owner City HENDERSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28739
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COSGROVE, KENNETH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 145 CLIFF TERRACE
Operator City HENDERSONVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28739
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 GNV
Departure City GAINESVILLE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AVL
Destination City ASHEVILLE
Destination State NC
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 3
Runway Length 7600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --