Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Horse Shoe, North Carolina 28742
Wednesday, June 22, 1988 18:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE WAS IRRIGATING A NEWLY CULTIVATED CORN FIELD WITH A SPRAY IRRIGATION MACHINE. HE HEARD AND THEN OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE FLY THROUGH OR JUST OVER A GAP IN THE TREES AT THE NORTHEAST END OF THE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE PROCEEDED TO FLY THROUGH THE IRRIGATING SPRAY AND COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES 37.8 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. AFTER THE COLLISION THE AIRPLANE BECAME INVERTED AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT. THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE POWER FOR FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/22/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1840
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HORSE SHOE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28742
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 49
Weather Observation Facility ID AVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 2165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1245
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 22 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37341
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1144B
NTSB Number ATL88FA199
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LUSCOMBE
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier 8A
Aircraft Serial Number 5771
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER B FLETCHER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4 OAK PARK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ASHEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WALTER B. FLETCHER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4 OAK PARK ROAD
Operator City ASHEVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28801
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
Departure City FLETCHER
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --