Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenwood, South Carolina 29649
Sunday, May 9, 1993 18:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT FIVE MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, BUT REGAINED POWER FOR 5 SECONDS BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO A FIVE LANE HIGHWAY, BUT COLLIDED WITH TWO ONCOMING TRUCKS ABOUT FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND PRIOR, TO TOUCHDOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE ICING PROBABILITY CURVES, WEATHER CONDITIONS EXISTED WHICH WERE FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CARBURETOR HEAT SOURCE

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHICH RESULTED FROM THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. THE LACK OF A CARBURETOR HEAT SOURCE AND THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENWOOD
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29649
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 972
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1250
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 548
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52765
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N743DR
NTSB Number ATL93LA090
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RAPP
Aircraft Model VAN'S RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier VAN'S RV-4
Aircraft Serial Number 1490
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Mar 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 179
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAPP, RUSSELL D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 WILSON STREET
Aircraft Owner City GREENWOOD
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29649
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAPP, RUSSELL D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 105 WILSON STREET
Operator City GREENWOOD
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29649
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 GRD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code GRD
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 --