Raeford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Statesville, North Carolina 28677
Monday, July 15, 1985 19:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE UNREGISTERED EXPIRED CERTIFICATED NEWLY PURCHASED EXPERIMENTAL ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE STUDENT PLT OWNER ON HIS 1ST FLT IN THE ACFT. THE ACFT WAS SEEN TO TAKEOFF AND MAKE A RIGHT TURN AFTER WHICH IT DESCENDED INTO TALL TREES. WITNESS REPORTED HEARING NORMAL ENG SOUNDS PRIOR TO IMPACT. A FRIEND OF THE PLT STATED THE PLT PROBABLY HAD NOT ACCUMULATED MORE THAN 20-25 HRS FLT TIME IN THE LAST 4 YRS. HE CONTINUED TO STATE HE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT ON THE PREVIOUS DAY AND IT PERFORMED NORMALLY BUT THE CONTROLS WERE VERY SENSITIVE AND THE PLT HAD NEVER FLOWN AN ACFT WITH A STICK INSTEAD OF A CONTROL YOKE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City STATESVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28677
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAEFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NC15
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 1140
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1244
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28603
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N74VP
NTSB Number ATL85FMG05
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 FAIN
Aircraft Model EVANS VP-1
Aircraft Series Identifier EVANS VP-1
Aircraft Serial Number N74VP
Certified Max Gross Weight 750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RUSSELL A. REEVES
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 7,
Aircraft Owner City STATESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28677
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 06
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 3 2001 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --