Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Guaviare Colombia
Tuesady, January 7, 1997 6:03 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was on a drug eradication mission involving 2 flights of 2 aircraft. The navigation equipment data card aboard the airplane revealed that the airplane had descended and leveled off at 630 feet mean sea level at a speed of 202 mph. The airplane was at 633 feet msl and at a speed of 198 mph when aerial application ceased. The next three data points (at a 2 second sampling rate) showed that the airplane had descended to 617 feet msl and the speed was 197 mph. Initial impact was with a tree in excess of 100 feet in height. The elevation at the crash was estimated to be about 400 to 500 feet MSL. The tree line observation was about 600 feet MSL. There was no evidence of the aircraft having been struck by any type of weapons fire.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance while maneuvering at a low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/7/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 603
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GUAVIARE
Event State --
Event Country COLOMBIA
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 126
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 8 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3100U
NTSB Number MIA97GA059
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AYRES
Aircraft Model S2RHG-T65
Aircraft Series Identifier S2RHG-T65
Aircraft Serial Number T65-005DC
Certified Max Gross Weight 11873
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/Foreign Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 27 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 1831
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Aircraft Owner Street Address INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20520
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 548
Departure Time Zone EST
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 --