Commodore (Closed) Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bainbridge, Georgia 31717
Friday, June 5, 1992 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A CLOSED AIRPORT NEAR HIS DESTINATION AFTER OBSERVING AN ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LOSS. AFTER LANDING, AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF AN OIL LOSS, AND A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE RUN ON THE GROUND SHOWED NORMAL OIL PRESSURE INDICATIONS. THE PILOT CONCLUDED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE INDICATING SYSTEM WAS AT FAULT, AND ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE PERFORMED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF DUE TO A SHORT RUNWAY LENGTH AND DEPARTURE END OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES). AT TAKEOFF SPEED, THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT ROTATE, AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE COULD NOT STOP THE AIRCRAFT IN THE REMAINING RUNWAY DISTANCE, AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TREES. NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGED DISTANCE OF RUNWAY REMAINING, RESULTING IN A DELAYED DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTORS WERE THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BAINBRIDGE
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31717
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COMMODORE (CLOSED)
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 142
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID DHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 401
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
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) 2372
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 5 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1607
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47084
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83453
NTSB Number ATL92LA115
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8116168
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 15 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 4029
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BAY AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3014 STANFORD RD.
Aircraft Owner City PANAMA CITY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32405
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BAY AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1000 JACKSON WAY
Operator City PANAMA CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32401
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 PFN
Departure City PANAMA CITY
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --