Simmons Army Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ft. Bragg, North Carolina 28307
Sunday, January 3, 1993 14:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED RUNWAY 27 AT SIMMONS ARMY AIRFIELD. IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT HAD LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A 90 DEGREE RIGHT BANK AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. THE POST CRASH FIRE CONSUMED MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE AND ENGINE AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF EXTREME HEAT AND FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE ACCESSORY AREA. THERE WAS CONTINUITY OF THE ENGINE DRIVE TRAIN. THE PROPELLER DID NOT SHOW EVIDENCE OF CHORDWISE SCRATCHING NOR TWISTING TOWARD LOW PITCH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FT. BRAGG
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28307
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SIMMONS ARMY AIRFIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FBG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 242
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1408 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID FBG
Elevation of weather observation facility 242
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 242
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) 570
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50289
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5774V
NTSB Number ATL93FA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A23
Aircraft Series Identifier A23
Aircraft Serial Number MA-28
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 16 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 2549
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONAHUE, DENICE A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14 WALL PL.
Aircraft Owner City FT. BRAGG
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28307
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BROWN, VICKI Y.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5600 MONKS WALK CT.
Operator City FAYETTEVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28311
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 FBG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1403
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FBG
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 27
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --