Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wedowee, Alabama 36278
Sunday, July 28, 1996 10:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot did not obtain a formal weather briefing before departure but he did observe a computer screen that depicted weather radar that was 2 hours old at the time. The flight departed and en route encountered adverse weather. Unable to locate an airport the pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing on a road. During the landing roll with a crosswind from the left, the airplane veered off the left side of the road into a ditch. The airplane then collided with a fence and came to rest. There were three adults in the two-place airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to obtain a preflight weather briefing and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll following a precautionary landing due to adverse weather encountered during the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/28/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WEDOWEE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36278
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 612
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1200
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 28 1996 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 8 2000 10:13AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3905E
NTSB Number MIA96LA195
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aeronca
Aircraft Model 11AC
Aircraft Series Identifier 11AC
Aircraft Serial Number 11AC-S-91
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 21 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 1386
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY L. JENNINGS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1506 16TH AVE. EAST
Aircraft Owner City CORDELE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31015
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PIM
Departure City PINE MOUNTAIN
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ANB
Destination City ANNISTON
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --