Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richmond Hill, Georgia 31324
Friday, October 29, 1993 17:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVER THE OGEECHEE RIVER. THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDS WERE NORMAL, AND THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO DIVE TOWARD THE RIVER. IT APPEARED AS IF A RIGHT TURN WAS BEING ATTEMPTED WHEN IT HIT THE WATER. THE AUTOPSY OF THE PILOT REVEALED THAT HIS HEART HAD PATCH ATHEROSCLEROSIS, WITH THE LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY DENSELY CALCIFIED AND APPARENTLY OCCLUDED. THERE WERE AREAS OF OLD SCARRING IN THE INTERVENTRICULAR SEPTUM, AND SECTIONS OF THE CORONARY ARTERIES SHOWED ADVANCED CALCIFIC, OCCLUSIVE ATHEROSCLEROSIS. TOXICOLOGICAL EXAM REVEALED 0.104 UG/ML NORDIAZEPAM IN BLOOD, 0.043 UG/ML OXAZEPAM IN BLOOD, AND AN UNSPECIFIED QUANTITY OF TEMAZEPAM IN BLOOD; ALL ARE MEMBERS OF THE BENZODIAZEPINE FAMILY OF TRANQUILIZERS. IN ADDITION, 3.000 UG/ML FENOPROFEN WAS DETECTED IN BLOOD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WATER. AND HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO DRUGS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1720
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RICHMOND HILL
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31324
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 51
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 977
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 29 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26462
NTSB Number ATL94FA010
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 GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5A
Aircraft Serial Number AA5A-0609
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 Apr 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 1409
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAMER, KENNETH A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 190 OSPREY DR.
Aircraft Owner City RICHMOND HILL
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31324
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAMER, KENNETH A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 190 OSPREY DR.
Operator City RICHMOND HILL
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 31324
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 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --