Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clarks Hill, South Carolina 29821
Sunday, October 18, 1987 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE TREES WHEN THE PILOT BEGAN A CLIMBING TURN. AS HE LEVELED THE WINGS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER AND EASED FORWARD ON THE CONTROL STICK LOWERING THE AIRCRAFT NOSE SLIGHTLY. WHEN HE PULLED BACK ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO MOVE THE CONTROL STICK THROUGH APRX 50% OF ITS TRAVEL WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE AIRCRAFT. HE FELT THAT THE BOTTOM REAR SEAT CUSHION MAY HAVE SLID FORWARD, AS IT HAD PREVIOUSLY, RESTRICTING THE CONTROL STICK TRAVEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CLARKS HILL
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29821
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1806 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 424
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 921
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 18 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34092
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98806
NTSB Number ATL88LA017
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 J-3
Aircraft Series Identifier J-3
Aircraft Serial Number 19048
Certified Max Gross Weight 1170
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 11334
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AUGUSTA AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address DANIEL FIELD
Aircraft Owner City AUGUSTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30909
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AUGUSTA AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DANIEL FIELD
Operator City AUGUSTA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30909
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 DNL
Departure City AUGUSTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
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 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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --