Sky Bryce Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bayse, Virginia 22810
Sunday, September 23, 1984 17:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER ROLLING ONLY ABOUT 1500 FT. IT WAS DESCRIBED A BEING 'BEHIND THE POWER CURVE' FOR A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE BEFORE CLIMBING ABRUPTLY. THE ACFT THEN BANKED STEEPLY TO THE LEFT & COLLIDED WITH A RIDGE AT APRX 1840 FT MSL. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE ARPT. THE ARPT ELEV WAS 1263 FT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT WAS APRX 75 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT DURING TAKEOFF. THE DENSITY ALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 3000 FT. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED THAT IT HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.158% (158 MG%), APRX 3 HRS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. A CHECK OF THE RGT FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.246% (246 MG%).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1705
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BAYSE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22810
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY BRYCE
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 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 210
Airport Elevation 1263
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3000
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 4
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3287
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27853
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 N75122
NTSB Number BFO84FA008
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7625201
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jun 8 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 1684
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER A. SAWTELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5055 BRADLEY BLVD. S.
Aircraft Owner City CHEVY CHASE
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20815
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9202 LUNDIGAN CT
Operator City BETHESDA
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20817
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 W92
Departure City BAYSE
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GAI
Destination City GAITHERSBURG
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 23
Runway Length 2240
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --