Paintsville-Combs Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paintsville, Kentucky 41240
Thursday, May 13, 1993 19:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 13, BUT MIDFIELD HE ABORTED THAT TAKEOFF. HE STATED THAT HE NOTICED THE WIND FAVORED RUNWAY 31, SO HE SWITCHED RUNWAYS. HE REPORTED THAT THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL, HIS RATE OF CLIMB 300 FEET PER MINUTE AND AIRSPEED ABOUT 80 MPH. HE STATED THAT DURING THE CLIMB HE WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN INTO THE VALLEY WHEN HE FELT A DOWNDRAFT TO THE RT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA THE AIRPORT IS SITUATED IN A MOUNTAIN VALLEY WITH HILLS ON BOTH SIDES AND A 400 FOOT HILL LOCATED ABOUT 1500 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 31. THE LOCAL PILOTS WHEN DEPARTING USUALLY TURN 60 DEGREES LEFT OR RIGHT TO AVOID THE HILL. A WITNESS REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE APPROACHING THE HILL, AND MAKING A STEEP RIGHT TURN BEFORE IT DESCENDED INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE OR CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION AND THE PROXIMITY OF THE HILL TO THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1925
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PAINTSVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41240
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 PAINTSVILLE-COMBS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3I6
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 624
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 541
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 13 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2137
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50382
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 N6001U
NTSB Number BFO93LA085
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-26737
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jan 2 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 3572
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY WILLIAMSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3393 MONTAVESTO RD
Aircraft Owner City LEXINGTON
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LARRY WILLIAMSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3393 MONTAVESTO RD
Operator City LEXINGTON
Operator State KY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 40502
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 3I6
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1915
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3I6
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 31
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --