Warf Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reidsville, North Carolina 27320
Sunday, March 1, 1992 16:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A DOWNWIND APPROACH WAS MADE TO THE AIRSTRIP . TREES BOUNDED THE APPROACH THRESHOLD ON THREE SIDES. ON SHORT FINAL THE WIND ACROSS THE TREES, A QUARTERING TAIL WIND, RESULTED IN A DOWNDRAFT. THE AIRPLANE UNDERSHOT THE RUNWAY & STRUCK ONE OF THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS, AS IT LANDED HARD. A BALKED LANDING WAS EXECUTED. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT, THE COLLISION WITH THE THRESHOLD LIGHT HAD COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. ON THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING THE AIRPLANE VEERED AS IT TOUCHED DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTAIL DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TAILWIND AND THE IMPROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND AND DOWNDRAFT WHICH RESULTED FROM THE TALL OBSTACLES (TREES) AROUND THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City REIDSVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27320
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WARF
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6A5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 820
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID GSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 926
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 262
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46399
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N517L
NTSB Number ATL92LA055
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 PITTS
Aircraft Model S-1
Aircraft Series Identifier S-1
Aircraft Serial Number BP-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 1050
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 480
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SPEER, JAMES M. JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2 BOX32A
Aircraft Owner City BOONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27011
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SPEER, JAMES M. JR.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 2 BOX32A
Operator City BOONVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27011
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 BOONVILLE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 35
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --