Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rion, South Carolina 29180
Sunday, September 1, 1985 17:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT HAD BEEN CRUISING AT 10,500 FT FOR SEVERAL MIN AND THEN INFORMED ATC THAT THEY WERE CLIMBING TO 12,500 FT DUE TO VFR. SHORTLY THERE AFTER THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SCOPE. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE MAKING AN UNUSUAL SOUND AND LOOKED UP AND SAW THE ACFT FALLING FROM THE SKY AND PARTS FALLING FROM IT. ONE WITNESS CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEN THE ACFT COME OUT OF A CLOUD. A SQUALL LINE AND HEAVY RAIN WERE REPORTED IN THE AREA A SHORT TIME LATER BY PEOPLE IN THE LOCAL AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RION
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29180
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 9
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID CAE
Elevation of weather observation facility 236
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) 1650
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2689
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1925
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30362
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9340W
NTSB Number ATL85FA266
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-28-235-B
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235-
Aircraft Serial Number 2811026
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Nov 9 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 125
Airframe Hours 1892
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAL MAR AVN.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2115 CLEVELAND ROAD
Aircraft Owner City DALTON
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30720
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 6J7
Departure City DARLINGTON
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSL
Destination City MUSCLE SHOALS
Destination State AL
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --