Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Apex, North Carolina 27502
Monday, June 16, 1986 15:58 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER. AFTER ABOUT ONE AND ONE-HALF HOURS EN ROUTE THE WEATHER AHEAD DETERIORATED AND THE PILOT TURNED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE POINT. WEATHER PREVENTED A LANDING THERE SO HE TURNED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. IT TOO WAS IN AN AREA OF WEATHER WHICH PREVENTED A LANDING. THE PILOT THEN TURNED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WHICH ALSO WAS IN AN AREA OF LOW WEATHER. THE PILOT THEN REPORTED THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND WOULD ATTEMPT TO REACH ANOTHER AIRPORT. THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH A SUITABLE LANDING AREA, HE CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1558
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City APEX
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27502
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID RDU
Elevation of weather observation facility 437
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1338
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1914
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31730
Date of most recent change to record Oct 21 2002 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5447W
NTSB Number ATL86LA171
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-160
Aircraft Serial Number 28524
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Apr 2 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2597
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name T.A. HARRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6424 MALIBU DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City RALEIGH
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27603
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 W17
Departure City KNIGHTDALE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1205
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City CHATTANOOGA
Destination State TN
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --