Hilton Head Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hilton Head Isl, South Carolina 29928
Thursday, December 10, 1987 22:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT DEPTED COASTAL ARPT AT NIGHT WITH 400 FT PARTIAL OBSCURATION IN PATCHY FOG. GROUND WITNESSES WHO HEARD ACFT DEPICTED A CIRCLING FLT PATH TO THE RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF. ENG, PROP & TURBO TEARDOWNS DEMONSTRATED BOTH ENGS WERE OPERATING AT HIGH POWER & NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION. ACFT NEVER APPEARED ON RADAR AND NO COMM WAS ATTEMPTED AFTER TAKEOFF. REVIEW OF PILOT RECORDS SHOWED ATYPICALLY LOW TOTAL INSTRUMENT FLT HOURS. PIC WAS CLEARED TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY HEADING AFTER TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO 2000 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HILTON HEAD ISL
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29928
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HILTON HEAD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 49J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 290
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2245 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID 49J
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
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) 250
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2178
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 10 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35655
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N777RC
NTSB Number ATL88FA059
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421A
Aircraft Series Identifier 421A
Aircraft Serial Number 421A0149
Certified Max Gross Weight 6840
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 6 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TENNESSEE WINGS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PUTNAM CNTY ARPT HILHAM RD.
Aircraft Owner City COOKEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38501
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 49J
Departure City HILTON HEAD ISL
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2221
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CJE
Destination City COOKEVILLE
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 21
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --