Lagrange / Callaway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lagrange, Georgia 30241
Friday, December 10, 1993 18:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

MOMENTS BEFORE THE FLIGHT DEPARTED, THE PILOT REQUESTED AN ENGINE JUMP START FROM THE LOCAL FIXED BASE OPERATOR. HE TOLD THE MAINTENANCE PERSON THAT HE LEFT THE LORAN ON AND THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETLEY DRAINED. THE MAINTENANCE PERSON URGED THE PILOT TO CHARGE THE BATTERY BEFORE STARTING THE TRIP, BUT THE PILOT SAID, HE HAD AN IMPORTANT MEETING AND MUST RETURN. ALL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL HANDLING WAS NORMAL. ACCORDING TO THE APPROACH CONTROLLER, THE FLIGHT'S PROFILE APPEARED NORMAL ON RADAR AND THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY DIFFICULTIES. AS THE FLIGHT CONTINUED THE APPROACH TO LAND, A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE IN SUCH AN ATTITUDE THAT HE COULD SEE THE WHITE PAINTED TOP OF THE AIRPLANE. THE WITNESS SAID, THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO IT'S IMPACT WITH TH GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, INCLUDING THE BATTERY, WERE DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES. EXAMINATION OF A NAVIGATIONAL LIGHT RECOVERED FROM THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY UNUSUAL DEFORMATION TO THE BULB FILAMENT. AN EXAMINATION OF FAA RECORDS FAILED TO DISCLOSE AN AIRMAN INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATION FOR THE PILOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECT A KNOWN LOW BATTERY CONDITION BEFORE DEPARTING, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND THE LOW SCATTERED CLOUD LAYER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1805
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City LAGRANGE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30241
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAGRANGE / CALLAWAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LGC
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 120
Airport Elevation 693
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1815 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID LGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 693
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 650
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1919
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4195B
NTSB Number ATL94FA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 74-30725
Certified Max Gross Weight 3225
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 14 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 1768
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ADAMSON, SEABRON C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 417 GORDON CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City LAGRANGE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30240
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BQK
Departure City BRUNSWICK
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code LGC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 31
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --