Bryant Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

York, South Carolina 29745
Thursday, January 19, 1995 13:32 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE DEPARTURE, THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING. HE WAS ADVISED THAT IFR CONDITIONS WERE FORECASTED ALONG THE ENTIRE ROUTE OF THE PROPOSED FLIGHT. THE PILOT FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, AND BEFORE DEPARTURE FROM THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, OBTAINED HIS IFR CLEARANCE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED (WITH A 500-FOOT CEILING REPORTED AT A NEARBY AIRPORT) AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 3,300 FEET. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE DEVIATED FROM THE ASSIGNED HEADING, AND ITS ALTITUDE BEGAN DECREASING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES, AND THEN THE GROUND IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. THE COCKPIT AND CABIN WERE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT AND A POSTCRASH FIRE. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE, OR VACUUM PUMP WAS FOUND. AN ALTERNATE VACUUM SYSTEM HAD BEEN INSTALLED. EXAMINATION OF COMPONENTS OF THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM REVEALED NO INDICATION THAT IT HAD BEEN ENGAGED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE NONINSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION WHILE CONDUCTING FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES BY CONDUCTING FLIGHT IN IMC WHEN HE LACKED TRAINING/QUALIFICATION FOR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/19/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1332
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City YORK
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29745
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BRYANT FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 29J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 322
Airport Elevation 669
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 48
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 71
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 19 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8423B
NTSB Number MIA95FA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8111088
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 May 24 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ACJ AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1050 S. STATE ST.
Aircraft Owner City DOVER
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JANOVICH, ALVIN C.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2575 BEVERLY DR.
Operator City WASHINGTON
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15301
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 29J
Departure City ROCK HILL
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1328
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AFJ
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 --