Holly Hill Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Holly Hill, South Carolina 29059
Saturday, July 8, 1989 11:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE SHORT FLIGHT FROM SUMMERVILLE TO HOLLY HILL, HE DESCENDED TO 900 FT AGL AND MADE A CIRCUIT OF THE FIELD. HE NOTED THE WIND TO BE FROM 250 DEGREES AT 10-15 KTS BY THE WINDSOCK. HE SET UP FOR A SHORT FIELD APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22. AFTER CLEARING TREES ON THE APPROACH, HE STEEPENED THE DESCENT BY LOWERING THE NOSE. HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD AT 150 TO 175 FEET AND WHEN 1200 FT PAST THE THRESHOLD, THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 10 FEET OFF THE GROUND. AT THAT TIME HE STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE WINDSOCK TO SHIFT 180 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO DROP AND HE APPLIED FULL POWER. THE AIRPLANE HIT HARD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT MISJUDGED HIS LANDING APPROACH PATH AND CROSSED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD TOO HIGH TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE LANDING. HE ALSO FLARED THE AIRPLANE AT TOO HIGH AN ALTITUDE RESULTING IN A STALL TO A HARD TOUCHDOWN ON THE NOSE WHEEL EXCEEDING THE STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY OF THE STRUT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HOLLY HILL
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29059
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOLLY HILL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5J5
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 100
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
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) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 911
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39026
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4594T
NTSB Number ATL89LA176
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7225195
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 4
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN J. KAISER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 57 POPPENHEIN DR.
Operator City LADSON
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29456
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 61J
Departure City SUMMERVILLE
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --