Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cedar Springs, Georgia 31732
Saturday, October 17, 1992 14:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT AND A STUDENT PILOT PASSENGER WERE ON A LOCAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FLIGHT. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES TO THE CRASH, SEVERAL LOCAL RESIDENTS OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING AT A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, AT SLOW SPEED, AND AT LOW ALTITUDE (80 TO 100 FEET AGL). THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A FLAT, OPEN COW PASTURE. IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS INDICATIVE OF STEEP, NOSE LOW IMPACT WITH THE GROUND (STALL). WITNESSES ALSO REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTY AT THE TIME, WITH SPEEDS UP TO 20 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALLING SPEED, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT, LOW ALTITUDE STALL. A FACTOR WAS THE GUSTY WIND CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CEDAR SPRINGS
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31732
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID DHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 401
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 684
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48081
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2479M
NTSB Number ATL93FA012
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-1556
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 5330
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARRELLS AVIATION SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2435
Aircraft Owner City BAINBRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31717
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRELLS AVIATION SERVICE, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2435
Operator City BAINBRIDGE
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 31717
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BGE
Departure City BAINBRIDGE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BGE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --