Pageland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pageland, South Carolina 29728
Friday, August 28, 1992 18:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS MAKING A PRACTICE LANDING AT A LOCAL AIRPORT. AS THE NOSE GEAR CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE, HE APPLIED THE WHEEL BRAKES, AND THE NOSE DROPPED TO AN 'UNUSUALLY LOW NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE.' THE AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE. AN INSPECTION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SHORTLY AFTER NOSE GEAR TOUCHDOWN. THE WHEEL BRAKES AND NOSE WHEEL STEERING SYSTEMS SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT TWO SUPPORT TUBES ON THE NOSE GEAR FRAME WERE BROKEN, AND THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF FULL NOSE GEAR STRUT COMPRESSION DURING THE TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE ABOUT THREE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND HAD LOGGED ABOUT 11 HOURS AS PILOT-IN-COMMAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN, RESULTING IN AN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR ATTACHMENT SUPPORT TUBES. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE OF THE PILOT AND THE DITCH ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PAGELAND
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29728
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PAGELAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 35J
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 565
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2400
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2566
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47289
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63892
NTSB Number ATL92LA168
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model C23
Aircraft Series Identifier C23
Aircraft Serial Number M-2363
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Jun 12 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 52
Airframe Hours 3923
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIEDMONT AVIATION SERVICES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 525
Aircraft Owner City WINSTON-SALEM
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27102
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PIEDMONT AVIATION SERVICES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 525
Operator City WINSTON-SALEM
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27102
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 EQY
Departure City MONROE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1810
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --