Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Snow Hill, North Carolina 28580
Saturday, July 20, 1991 8:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH 50 FOOT TREES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE SWATH RUN. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE CLIP THE TOP OF THE TREES AND CONTINUE ON THE ORIGINAL HEADING UNTIL IT CRASHED IN THE ADJACENT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE OBSERVED OR DISCLOSED DURING WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE TREE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 817
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SNOW HILL
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28580
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
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 745 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 175
Weather Observation Facility ID ISO
Elevation of weather observation facility 94
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 860
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45077
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9072R
NTSB Number ATL91LA130
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 188
Aircraft Series Identifier 188
Aircraft Serial Number 188-020981
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
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 Jul 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MC NEIL, ROBERT
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 1, BOX 200
Aircraft Owner City CAMERON
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29030
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CREECH IV, WILLIAM H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2000 HAMMOCKS BEACH ROAD
Operator City SWANSBORO
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28584
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
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 --