Tara Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hampton, Georgia 30228
Tuesady, April 18, 1995 14:13 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT/BUILDER HAD JUST COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER CONSTRUCTION. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE IT LOST POWER DURING THE DOWNWIND PHASE OF THE VFR APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A SHARP TURN TOWARD THE AIRPORT, AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ABOUT 600 FEET WEST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 6. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT, AS A RESULT OF THE WIND DIRECTION, THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO WAS NOT THE RUNWAY IN USE AT THE TIME. THE PILOT'S SON-IN-LAW STATED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT DONE ANY FLYING FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, EXCEPT FOR ABOUT 5 HOURS OF TRAINING IN A LOW PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flying experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1413
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HAMPTON
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30228
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TARA FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4A7
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 240
Airport Elevation 880
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID MCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 354
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 823
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 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 4:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N360BJ
NTSB Number ATL95FA087
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DUKE, CLARENCE E.
Aircraft Model LANCAIR 360
Aircraft Series Identifier LANCAIR 36
Aircraft Serial Number 51925
Certified Max Gross Weight 1679
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DUKE, CLARENCE E. JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 270 SINCLAIR MARINE RD.
Aircraft Owner City MILLEDGEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31016
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 No
Departure Airport Code 4A0
Departure City STOCKBRIDGE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 6
Runway Length 3375
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --