Barnwell County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Barnwell, South Carolina 29812
Saturday, March 21, 1992 21:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD TAKEN A NEWLYWED COUPLE UP ON A CEREMONIAL 'MILE HIGH' LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT AS A WEDDING GIFT. HE REPORTED THAT DURING A MANEUVER HE FELT A 'SHUDDER', AND ELECTED TO MAKE A LOW PASS OVER AN AIRPORT TAXIWAY, BY SOME FRIENDS ON THE GROUND WITH A HAND-HELD RADIO, FOR A 'LANDING GEAR CHECK'. DURING THE SECOND PASS THE PILOT ASKED THE COUPLE TO 'LOOK TO THE RIGHT WHERE THE MOON SHINES OVER BARNWELL.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A SPECTATOR ON THE TAXIWAY. A PAX STATED THAT THE PILOT THEN 'FREAKED OUT' AND WAS IN NO CONDITION TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. DURING A SUBSEQUENT LANDING ATTEMPT, A PAX PREVENTED A GO-AROUND BY FORCING THE YOKE FORWARD AND PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDALS WITH HIS HANDS. THE PAX STATED THE PILOT 'WANTED TO KEEP FLYING AND HE WAS GOING NUTS.' THE PILOT FLED THE SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT RETURNED LATER. THE PILOT HAD ARRANGED TO HAVE THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND 'MOON' THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LOW PASS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND WHILE MAKING A LOW PASS AT NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/21/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2145
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BARNWELL
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29812
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 BARNWELL COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BNL
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 246
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2152 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID AGS
Elevation of weather observation facility 145
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 1
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 225
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46243
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 N5441B
NTSB Number ATL92LA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 33441
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 3 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 4457
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VIKINGS OF DENMARK, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 373
Aircraft Owner City DENMARK
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29042
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name VIKINGS OF DENMARK, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 373
Operator City DENMARK
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29042
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 2125
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Other
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 --