Petersburg Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Petersburg, Virginia 23803
Friday, August 2, 1991 10:06 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS ON TAKEOFF ROLL AND WITNESSES REPORTED IT WAS NEAR THE END OF THE 3060 FOOT RUNWAY, WHEN IT LIFTED OFF. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED SLOWLY AND STRUCK TREES ABOUT 2000 FEET PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS WHO ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE SHORTLY AFTER THE CRASH ENCOUNTERED THE PILOT WHO ASKED HIM TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF. THE WITNESS NOTICED THE SWITCH WAS SET AT THE LEFT MAGNETO POSITION. THE PILOT HAD NO RECOLLECTION OF THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION INCLUDED AN OPERATIONAL TEST OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT EXCEED 2400 RPM ON BOTH MAGNETOS, AND NO MORE THAN 2100 RPM ON THE ONE MAGNETO. A CHECK OF THE ENGINE TO MAGNETO TIMING REVEALED THE MAGNETOS WERE TIMED ABOUT 10 DEGREES OUTSIDE THE SPECIFIED TIMING PARAMETERS. THE ENGINE WAS RETIMED TO SPECIFICATION AND IT WAS OPERATED TO 2500 RPM ON BOTH MAGNETOS, 2400 RPM ON ONE MAGNETO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-TAKEOFF CHECK AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OF THE ENGINE WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1006
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PETERSBURG
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23803
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PETERSBURG MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PTB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 193
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RIC
Elevation of weather observation facility 99999
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 999
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2300
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50112
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:37AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2112S
NTSB Number BFO91FA072
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210N
Aircraft Series Identifier 210N
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 182
Airframe Hours 2900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. POPE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 26614 HIGH STREET
Aircraft Owner City DAMASCUS
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20870
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT L. POPE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 26614 HIGH STREET
Operator City DAMASCUS
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20870
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code PTB
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1006
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ISM
Destination City KISSIMMEE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 32
Runway Length 3060
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --