Smith Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Asheboro, North Carolina 27203
Tuesady, July 20, 1999 11:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the private pilot, the commercial pilot was providing instruction and a biennial flight review to determine proficiency in the airplane. The private pilot stated that he performed a soft-field takeoff, climbed above barriers, and at that point the commercial pilot took the controls. He then recalls sensing a lack of climb and verified a slight descent on the vertical situation indicator. The airplane then banked hard to the right and he felt a buffet followed by a nose-low attitude. The airplane collided with two sets of trees rendering him unconscious. He regained consciousness when the airplane collided with the ground. The FAA reported that a soft-field takeoff was performed with a three to five knot tailwind and 10 degrees of flaps from runway 18. The take-off run was begun 300 feet from the approach end of the 3100 foot long runway. After takeoff, the airplane collided with 50-foot trees off the departure end of the runway. No mechanical deficiencies with the airplane were reported by the pilots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain flying speed that resulted in a stall and the subsequent collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1155
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ASHEBORO
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27203
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SMITH AIRSTRIP AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 25NC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 560
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID INT
Elevation of weather observation facility 970
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 39
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1977
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10418
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 8
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N704ET
NTSB Number ATL99LA111
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15078559
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY W. FARBO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5822 POTOMAC DR.
Aircraft Owner City CONCORD
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28027
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 25NC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3N8
Destination City CONCORD
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 18
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --