Harnett County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erwin, North Carolina 28339
Wednesday, May 27, 1987 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT IMPACTED LEVEL GRASSY TERRAIN SHORT OF RWY 04, WHILE ON SHORT FINAL DURING A PRACTICE SHORT-FIELD LDG. THE CFI REPORTED THAT THE STUDENT PLT HAD STABILIZED THE ACFT ON THE APPCH AT 70 MPH; A HIGH SINK RATE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED AS THE ACFT CROSSED OVER A STEEP DROP-OFF LOCATED ABOUT 100 FT BEFORE THE THRESHOLD. THE CFI ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE ACFT, LOWERED THE NOSE AND APPLIED PWR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN SLIGHTLY NOSE-DOWN. FULL FLAPS WERE IN USE AT THE TIME. THE CFI REPORTED THE WIND TO BE FROM 040 DEGREES AT 5 KTS WITH NO GUSTS. THE PIPER 140 OWNERS HANDBOOK LISTS 55 MPH AS THE POWER-OFF STALL SPEED, FOR A WINGS-LEVEL ACFT AT GROSS WEIGHT WITH FULL FLAPS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ERWIN
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28339
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 HARNETT COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 37W
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 195
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 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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) 781
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34077
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2002 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1696T
NTSB Number ATL87LA152
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 PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 287125013
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 11 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3373
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARNETT AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1 BOX 66
Aircraft Owner City ERWIN
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28339
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARNETT AVIATION,INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 66
Operator City ERWIN
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28339
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --