Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pelion, South Carolina 29123
Saturday, July 24, 1993 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF AFTER A ONE HOUR DELAY FOR FOGGY CONDITIONS. HE DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING. HE CHECKED A NEARBY ATIS AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, AND THEY WERE REPORTING IFR CONDITIONS. HE REACHED HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND OBSERVED THAT IT WAS 'PARTIALLY FOGGED IN.' HE ELECTED TO CIRCLE THE AIRFIELD UNTIL CONDITIONS IMPROVED. THE WEATHER BEGAN TO DETERIORATE FURTHER, AND THE PILOT ENTERED IMC. HE THEN ELECTED TO DESCEND AND LOOK FOR AN OPEN FIELD SINCE HIS FUEL STATUS WAS LOW. HE BROKE OUT OF THE WEATHER, AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A COTTON FIELD AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. THE NOSE GEAR FAILED AFTER LANDING ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION PRIOR TO COMMENCING THE FLIGHT. FACTORS WERE THE FOG AND LOW CEILING WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN AT THE LANDING SITE

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PELION
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29123
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
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 852 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID CAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 529
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1140
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50420
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6197T
NTSB Number ATL93LA133
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 150E
Aircraft Series Identifier 150E
Aircraft Serial Number 15060897
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Sep 12 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 105
Airframe Hours 3705
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SALLEY, LOURIE A. III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 129 1/2 E. MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City LEXINGTON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29072
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GUNTER, ROY S.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3334 CALKS FERRY ROAD
Operator City PELION
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29123
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 No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City PERRY
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City FAIRVIEW
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --