Mecklenburg-Brunswick Reg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

South Hill, Virginia 23970
Saturday, March 16, 1985 14:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME DISORIENTATED AFTER ABOUT 60MIN OF FLT. HE ATMPTD TO CALL IN THE BLIND ON GUARD. FREQ. BOTH DANVILLE AND ROANOK FSS'S RESPONDED TO HIS CALLS BUT WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH 2 WAY COMMO WITH THE PLT. IN ADDITION OTR ACFT IN THE AREA ALSO TRIED TO TALK TO HIM WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THE ACFT EVENTUALLY RAN OUT OF FUEL AND DURING THE FORCED LNDG THE RT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE AND THE ACFT LNDD HARD IN A PLOWED FIELD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SOUTH HILL
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23970
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MECKLENBURG-BRUNSWICK REG
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5W2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 442
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 277
Weather Observation Facility ID DAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 572
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 63
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 982
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28371
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23231
NTSB Number BFO85LA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150H
Aircraft Series Identifier 150H
Aircraft Serial Number 15068811
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Dec 19 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 688
Airframe Hours 13678
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHOWALTER ENTERPRISES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 90
Aircraft Owner City GROTTOES
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24441
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHENANDOAH AVIATION SERV. INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 513 CAMBRIDGE DR.
Operator City STUARTS DRAFT
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 24477
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GSO
Departure City GREENSBORO
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W78
Destination City SOUTH BOSTON
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --