Walterboro Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Walterboro, South Carolina 29488
Saturday, October 19, 1991 13:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS IN THE LEFT SEAT; HIS FATHER, A COMMERCIAL PILOT (NOT AN INSTRUCTOR), WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT. WHEEL BRAKE PEDALS WERE INSTALLED ON THE LEFT SIDE ONLY. THE STUDENT WAS LANDING THE AIRPLANE. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE TAIL WHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY, AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT APPLIED WHEEL BRAKES, HOWEVER, HE REPORTED THAT HIS RIGHT FOOT INADVERTENTLY PUSHED A FUEL TANK BRACE INSTEAD OF THE RIGHT BRAKE PEDAL. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT SIDE, AND GROUND LOOPED. THERE WERE NO REPORTED MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE WHEEL BRAKES, AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WALTERBORO
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29488
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WALTERBORO MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RBW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 99
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID CHS
Elevation of weather observation facility 46
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 837
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45094
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27DW
NTSB Number ATL92LA011
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 WINCHESTER
Aircraft Model THORP T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier THORP T-18
Aircraft Serial Number 94
Certified Max Gross Weight 1550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JONES, HOWELL C. III
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 40
Aircraft Owner City SHELDON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29941
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JONES, HOWELL C. III
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 40
Operator City SHELDON
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29941
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 NONE
Departure City SHELDON
Departure State SC
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 Landing
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 23
Runway Length 5150
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --