Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yanceyville, North Carolina 27379
Monday, July 13, 1987 11:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ENGAGED IN LOW ALT COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY. WITNESSES HAD OBSERVED THE ACFT OPERATING AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE IN THE AREA FOR THE PAST TWO OR THREE DAYS. THE WITNESS CLOSEST TO THE CRASH SITE RELATED THAT THE ACFT WOULD MAKE A STRAIGHT PASS NEAR A HOMESITE, ADD POWER, START A CLIMBING TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION AND WHEN ESTABLISHED STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AGAIN, DECREASE POWER. ON THE LAST PASS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT ENTERED A CLIMBING TURN TO THE LEFT AND THE NOSE WAS OBSERVED TO DROP AND THE ACFT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A TREE LINE WHICH WAS BETWEEN TWO OPEN FIELDS. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND BY ANOTHER WITNESS ABOUT 20 MINS LATER. THE PHOTO OPERATION WAS CONDUCTED SOLO WITH THE PILOT ATTEMPTING TO FLY THE ACFT FROM THE RIGHT SEAT WHILE ALSO DOING AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY WITH A 35 MM CAMERA, ALL AT A LOW ALTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City YANCEYVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27379
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 247
Weather Observation Facility ID GSO
Elevation of weather observation facility 926
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2300
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) 1594
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1105
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34881
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4869B
NTSB Number ATL87FA209
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 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15283684
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 May 2 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 229
Airframe Hours 5900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STATE AERIAL FARM STAT. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1752 BROADWAY
Aircraft Owner City TOLEDO
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43609
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BUY
Departure City BURLINGTON
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
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 --