St. Elmo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Elmo, Alabama 36568
Wednesday, June 16, 1993 18:18 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS PERFORMING AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF ON THE 4,000 FOOT RUNWAY (1,500 FEET REMAINING). A WITNESS SAW THE AIRCRAFT IN A STEEP, RIGHT HAND TURN SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THEN HE HEARD THE CRASH. HE ALSO REPORTED HEARING THE ENGINE RUNNING UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES LOCATED ABOUT 1,000 FEET PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED POSITIVE FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY EXISTED. NO EVIDENCE OF A POWERPLANT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE COULD NOT REMEMBER ANY EVENTS REGARDING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES LOCATED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE THE ENTIRE RUNWAY FOR THE TAKEOFF, AND THE TREES LOCATED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1818
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ST. ELMO
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36568
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 ST. ELMO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2R5
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 280
Airport Elevation 130
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID MOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 218
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
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) 2084
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1949
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
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 N8322B
NTSB Number ATL93LA112
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 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 36122
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jun 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 4447
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CUTTS, CATHY G,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11800 JIM MCNEIL LOOP RD N.
Aircraft Owner City GRAND BAY
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36541
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CUTTS, CATHY G.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11800 JIM MCNEIL LOOP RD N.
Operator City GRAND BAY
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 36541
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 1818
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2R5
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 23
Runway Length 3980
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --