Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

South Hill, Virginia 23970
Monday, November 30, 1987 14:40 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON THE THIRD LEG OF A TRIP BETWEEN TAMPA, FL AND SUSSEX, NJ. THE PREVIOUS TWO STOPS WERE MADE BECAUSE OF ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. BEFORE THIS FLIGHT HE WAS ADVISED BY FSS THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN BUT DID NOT ACTIVATE IT. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT WAS FLYING NORTHEAST BELOW A LOW OVERCAST. SOME WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS FLYING IN CLOUDS. ONE WITNESS SAID THE CLOUDS WERE AT TREETOP LEVEL. THE ACFT REVERSED COURSE AND SOON AFTERWARDS IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. ONE WITNESS SAID THAT BEFORE THE ACFT DESCENDED IT PITCHED UP AND IT SPUN DURING THE DESCENT. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A REMOTE WOODED AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/30/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1440
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SOUTH HILL
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23970
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
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 Unknown
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 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2512
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 30 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37169
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8886X
NTSB Number BFO88FA009
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 182D
Aircraft Series Identifier 182D
Aircraft Serial Number 18253286
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Jun 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name L. H. LOTHIAN & G. BUCHMAN, JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address RD 2 BOX 494
Aircraft Owner City ANDOVER
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07821
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 FLO
Departure City FLORENCE
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1753
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MELFA
Destination State VA
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 --