Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Snow Hill, North Carolina 28580
Monday, October 26, 1992 19:53 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 15 MINUTES INTO A RETURN FLIGHT, THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HIS ENGINE HAD FAILED, AND HE WAS ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING ON A RURAL ROAD. NIGHT, VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN, IT COLLIDED WITH A PINE TREE, THE LEFT WING SEVERED, AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST INVERTED, A FIRE ERUPTED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE FAILED TO REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. ACCORDING TO CARBURETOR ICING CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR CARBURETOR ICING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS WERE THE CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, AND THE DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1953
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SNOW HILL
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28580
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 1945 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID ISO
Elevation of weather observation facility 94
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
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) 29
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) 691
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 26 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48088
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 N8869L
NTSB Number ATL93FA016
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GRUMMAN AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5
Aircraft Serial Number AA5-0657
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jul 2 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 84
Airframe Hours 3151
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TAR HEEL AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 916
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28541
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TAR HEEL AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 916
Operator City JACKSONVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28541
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RWI
Departure City ROCKY MOUNT
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1935
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OAJ
Destination City JACKSONVILLE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --