Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wadesboro, North Carolina 28170
Saturday, August 7, 1993 13:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES HEARD THE SOUND OF A DIVING AIRPLANE, THEN OBSERVED A FRAGMENTED AIRPLANE FALLING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND CONTINUING IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE UNTIL IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. THE CANADIAN REGISTERED HOMEBUILT PLANE HAD BEEN PURCHASED BY THE PILOT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FROM RALEIGH AUTOMATED FLIGHT SERVICE STATION THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WHICH CALLED FOR INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ALONG THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS FROM THE TELEPHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE PILOT AND FLIGHT SERVICE CONTAIN STATEMENTS MADE BY THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER INSTRUMENTATION FOR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS, BUT THAT HE PLANNED TO ATTEMPT THE FLIGHT ANYWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO IMC WITHOUT THE PROPER INSTRUMENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, AND IN FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WADESBORO
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28170
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1300
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6027
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CFYSJ
NTSB Number ATL93LA142
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 WM. D. BUTTERILL MUSTANG
Aircraft Model M1
Aircraft Series Identifier M1
Aircraft Serial Number 517
Certified Max Gross Weight 948
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 9 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 223
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM H. SAUNDERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2376 HOLLY LANE
Aircraft Owner City ORANGE PARK
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32073
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 5W8
Departure City SILER CITY
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRG
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --