Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bluffton, South Carolina 29910
Thursday, December 26, 1991 17:37 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT HAD INITIATED A DIVERT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT AFTER HEARING REPORTS OF LOW VISIBILITIY AT HIS DESTINATION. HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD NO APPROACH PLATES FOR HIS DIVERT FIELD. WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED AT ABOUT 3,000 FEET AGL, HE REPORTED 'HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS.' ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER, HE REPORTED 'GOING DOWN'. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN WOODED TERRAIN AND BURNED. THE DESCENT ANGLE THROUGH THE TREES WAS ABOUT 30 DEGREES. RADAR DATA INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY LOST ABOUT 30 KNOTS PRIOR TO THE PILOT'S LAST RADIO CALL, FOLLOWED BY A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS NEAR THE FEATHERED POSITION AT IMPACT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE AT IMPACT. TEARDOWNS OF BOTH ENGINES AND THEIR COMPONENTS FAILED TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROLLABLE AIRSPEED AFTER A REPORTED ENGINE POWER LOSS, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE. THE REASON FOR THE LEFT ENGINE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1737
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BLUFFTON
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29910
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1735 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID 49J
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2050
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46298
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6588S
NTSB Number ATL92FA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58TC
Aircraft Series Identifier 58TC
Aircraft Serial Number TK4
Certified Max Gross Weight 6100
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEINHOLD, DONALD L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 318 NORTH MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City SALISBURY
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28144
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEINHOLD, DONALD L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 318 NORTH MAIN STREET
Operator City SALISBURY
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28144
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 No
Departure Airport Code RUQ
Departure City SALISBURY
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 49J
Destination City HILTON HEAD IS.
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --