Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greensboro, North Carolina 27406
Thursday, June 3, 1993 19:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD LEVELED OFF AT 2,000 FEET MSL WHEN THE ENGINE GRADUALLY LOST POWER. HE TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND THE ENGINE RESPONDED; HOWEVER, HE COULD NOT AVOID COLLIDING WITH A TALL TREE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO THE TOP OF THE TREE, AND THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE UNHURT. ACCORDING TO CARBURETOR ICING CHARTS, THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE FLIGHT. FACTORS WERE THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND TREES AT THE FORCED LANDING SITE

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENSBORO
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27406
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID GSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 926
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 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) 597
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50331
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87811
NTSB Number ATL93LA102
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 15094
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 2630
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERTS, JOHN K.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 370
Aircraft Owner City MCLEANSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERTS, JOHN K.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 370
Operator City MCLEANSVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27301
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City CASWELL COUNTY
Destination State NC
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --