Hodges Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Statesville, North Carolina 28677
Saturday, September 11, 1993 18:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A LOW PASS MANEUVER OVER THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND COLLIDED WITH NEARBY, UTILITY LINES ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING AT SPEEDS MORE THAN 200 MPH AND THERE WAS NO ATTEMPT TO AVOID THE COLLISION; THE SOUTHERLY FLIGHT PATH PLACED THE SUN INTO THE PILOT EYES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE, NOR WERE AIRCRAFT PROBLEMS NOTICED OR HEARD BY THE GROUND OBSERVERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID UTILITY LINES. A FACTOR WAS THE SUNGLARE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STATESVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28677
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HODGES FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 270
Airport Elevation 965
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 255
Weather Observation Facility ID HKY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1189
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
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) 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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1581
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2001
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115DB
NTSB Number ATL93LA156
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 BROWN
Aircraft Model VAN'S RV-3
Aircraft Series Identifier VAN'S RV-3
Aircraft Serial Number 11049
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. 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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 279
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROWN, DAVID S.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 123 ELM STREET
Aircraft Owner City MORGANTON
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28655
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1750
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SVH
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 18
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --