Greenville Downtown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, South Carolina 29607
Thursday, September 25, 1997 19:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that, the initial takeoff started from the (approach) end of runway 36, and that he had applied full power. At about the midfield point, the airplane lifted off. However, the pilot did not feel there was sufficient power to take off, so he aborted the takeoff. He said he pulled the power all the way back, and the airplane descended nose first, collided the runway nose gear first, and nosed over. A witness stated that during the takeoff roll, the airplane began to porpoise before the nose gear collided with the runway. Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem. The pilot did not report experiencing a mechanical problem with the airplane during the attempted takeoff. According to the pilot operation handbook, normal takeoff ground run should have been about 478 feet. The runway was 5393 feet in length.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper use of the elevator control and delayed liftoff during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent porpoise, collision with the runway, and collapse of the nose gear as he aborted the takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29607
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 GREENVILLE DOWNTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GMU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1048
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2352 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 316
Weather Observation Facility ID CAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 81
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1188
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) 544
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 139
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 N738SZ
NTSB Number ATL97LA140
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17270213
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 11 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 3854
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 55 COMMERCE CENTER
Aircraft Owner City GREENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29615
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARK CHRISTOPHER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 21 S POINSETT HIGHWAY
Operator City TRAVEL REST
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29690
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 GMU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1948
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 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 36
Runway Length 5393
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --