Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Catawba Valley, Virginia 24070
Saturday, December 28, 1996 12:15 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed a non-towered airport on a 700 mile cross-country flight. The first planned refueling stop was 185 miles south of the departure airport. About 30 minutes from the refuel stop, the pilot determined that the airport was IFR, and flew west to locate another airport. After about 25 minutes, he performed a precautionary landing to an 1,800 foot farm field, and the airplane struck wires on final approach, which resulted in minor damage. The pilot purchased auto fuel from the property owner and received directions to a local airport. He then attempted a down hill, downwind takeoff, in heavy grass. The airplane became airborne, the stall horn beeped, and then the airplane struck the ground. There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing. The departure airport, the refuel stop, and the intended alternate were non-towered airports. The pilot by-passed two VFR airports with operating control towers during his search for an alternate airport.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper planning/decision, and his failure to attain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall after takeoff and collision with ground. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's use of inadequate terrain for takeoff, high vegetation in the takeoff area, and the prevailing tailwind for takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/28/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1215 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | CATAWBA VALLEY |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24070 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1254 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LYH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 938 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 50 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1693 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 28 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1355 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4523U |
| NTSB Number | NYC97LA039 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 150D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 150D |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15060523 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | Aug 21 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2719 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | RONALD J. DAINTON |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 537 MANOR ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | SEVERNA PARK |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21146 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1215 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BCB |
| Destination City | BLACKSBURG |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| 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 | -- |