Davis Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Abbeville, South Carolina 29620
Friday, August 9, 1985 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES & THE GROUND AFTER GOING INTO A LEFT TURN DURING A GO-AROUND INITIATED AFTER A BOUNCY LANDING. AFTER POWER WAS ADDED FOR THE GO-AROUND THE ACFT SEEMED TO BE UNCONTROLLED SO THAT THE CFI ON THE GROUND, WHO HAD JUST EXITED THE ACFT AFTER SEVERAL LANDINGS, USED A HAND-HELD RADIO TO TELL THE STUDENT PLT TO LEVEL HIS WINGS. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE ACFT WHICH CONTINUED TO TURN INTO THE TREES. AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED ON THE PLT AFTER THE ACC SHOWED THAT THE HEART ATTACK HAD OCCURRED AND IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE INCAPACITATED THE PLT JUST AFTER THE GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ABBEVILLE
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29620
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DAVIS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID A03
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 30
Airport Elevation 550
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID ARD
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
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) 2000
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) 2396
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29808
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7475W
NTSB Number ATL85FA242
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-1384
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Dec 3 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2100
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS C. MILLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTES A-17
Aircraft Owner City GREENWOOD
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29606
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code A03
Departure City ABBEVILLE
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1020
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Descent
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 8
Runway Length 2240
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --