Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Geneva, Alabama 36340
Sunday, December 13, 1987 16:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO THE ACDNT, A WITNESS SAW THE ACFT FLYING ACROSS AN OPEN FIELD AT A VERY LOW ALT. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH THE TOPS OF SEVERAL PINE TREES AT ABOUT 90 TO 95 FT AGL, THEN IT CRASHED TO THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT. THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY HELD A STUDENT PLT/MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WHICH HAD EXPIRED. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD & URINE WERE MADE AT 2 LABS. ONE LAB RPRTD THE BLOOD CONTAINED 1.6 MG/L OF BUTALBITAL. THE OTHER LAB RPRTD A BUTALBITAL CONTENT OF 3 MG/L AND RPRTD THAT THIS WOULD BE IN THE THERAPEUTIC RANGE. ALSO, SALICYLATE WAS DETECTED IN HIS URINE. BUTALBITAL IS A MEMBER OF THE BARBITURATE GROUP OF MEDICATION & TYPICALLY HAS UNWANTED SIDE EFFECTS OF DROWSINESS & LOSS OF ALERTNESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/13/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GENEVA
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36340
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
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 1650 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID DHN
Elevation of weather observation facility 401
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 500
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) 2089
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35432
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3512A
NTSB Number MIA88FA063
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-135
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-135
Aircraft Serial Number 22-1784
Certified Max Gross Weight 1850
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2521
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM DANIEL CAMPBELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 110 N. MADISON AVE.
Aircraft Owner City GENEVA
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36340
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 33J
Departure City GENEVA
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone CST
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 10:36AM
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 --