Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Woodward Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Camden, South Carolina 29020
Saturday, September 6, 1997 18:35 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses stated they saw a low flying airplane performing steep turns, approximately 60 - 70 degrees of bank. While in these turns, the engine began 'missing' and eventually quit. The airplane remained in a left bank, even though the engine was not running. After a few seconds, the witnesses saw the airplane 'snap, roll to the right, and enter a right hand spin'. According to the toxicological examination, the pilot had a drug, fluoxetine, in his system. Patients who are prescribed fluoxetine are not given medical certification by the FAA. This pilot was given a medical certification based on a letter from the pilot's cardiologist which stated the pilot was not being treated for clinical depression. The pilot also had Diltiazem which induces low blood pressure and slowed heart rate. Medical personnel indicated that Diltiazem can reduce the resistance to G-induced loss-of-consciousness (G-LOC). The pilot was issued a special issuance medical certificate, with no restrictions other than for vision, on January 31, 1997 based on a history of angina pectoris and coronary artery disease. Severe coronary artery disease can be aggravated by the physiological effects of acrobatic flight. According to FAR Part 67, the FAA may impose any operational restrictions on the certificate needed for safety.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to take remedial action after a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, leading to a spin. Factors were the pilot's use of unapproved medication, and the FAA's inadequate certification and standards for airman.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/6/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1835 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | CAMDEN |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29020 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | WOODWARD FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CDN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 7 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1956 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CAE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 212 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 45 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| 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) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2000 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1593 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 6 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2026 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1047C |
| NTSB Number | ATL97FA134 |
| 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 | North American |
| Aircraft Model | T-6-SNJ5 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | T-6-SNJ5 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 85063 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5300 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 8 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 4660 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WESTERN NC AIR MUSEUM |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 2343 |
| Aircraft Owner City | HENDERSONVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28793 |
| 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 | CDN |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1820 |
| 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 | -- |