Sky Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Conway, South Carolina 29527
Sunday, July 2, 1995 9:38 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE PRACTICING THE PICKUP PHASE OF A BANNER TOWING OPERATION, ON A PRIVATE STRIP, IN CONWAY, SOUTH CAROLINA, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HEARD A 'POP'. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DIVE. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE HAD LOST ELEVATOR EFFECTIVENESS. THE DIVE SHALLOWED OUT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN THE UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 938
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CONWAY
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29527
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 85
Weather Observation Facility ID CRE
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 511
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1013
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8048D
NTSB Number ATL95LA124
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 54-2592
Certified Max Gross Weight 1625
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 18 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 8586
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKY SIGNS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6920 HWY 701 SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City CONWAY
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29527
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --