Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Walhalla, South Carolina 29691
Saturday, May 16, 1987 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT THE PLT TRIMMED THE AIRCRAFT TO A SLOW FLIGHT CONFIGURATION, AND CIRCLED A LAKE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT AN ALT OF APPROX 1,000 FT AGL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEAR MAX GROSS WEIGHT AND THE GROUND TEMP WAS 82 DEG F. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND RAISED THE WING FLAPS; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A GRADUAL DESCENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT PRODUCE MORE THAN 2,000 RPM AS THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN. THE ENGINE WAS GROUND TESTED AND OPERATED TO FULL STATIC RPM. THE REPORTED LACK OF FULL RPM IN FLIGHT WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WALHALLA
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29691
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 5
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 1600 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 972
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 594
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33737
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N739QF
NTSB Number ATL87LA138
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172-N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172-N
Aircraft Serial Number 17270715
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 16 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 982
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKY BUDDIES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 245
Aircraft Owner City GRAY COURT
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29645
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GMU
Departure City GREENVILLE
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
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 Descent
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 --