Tri County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ahoskie, North Carolina 27910
Tuesady, November 27, 1984 12:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A NIGHT VFR LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTICED HAZE OBSCURING THE LIGHTS ON THE GROUND. HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND ACTIVATED THE REIL LIGHTS, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE LIGHTS AS HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. DURING THE LEFT TURN TO BASE, HE ENTERED FOG AND BECAME DISORIENTED AND ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SOME TREES BUT WAS STILL CONTROLLABLE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE ANOTHER APPROACH BUT AGAIN BECAME DISORIENTED AND THE ACFTIMPACTED THE GROUND ON THE AIRPORT BUT HEADING ABOUT 120 DEGREES LEFT OF THE INTENDED RWY. THE PILOT REPORTED ONLY 3 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/27/1984
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City AHOSKIE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27910
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID A5J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 68
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 2353 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID EWN
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 74
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3156
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27265
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12946
NTSB Number ATL85LA045
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17262392
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 22 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 824
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COPELAND MANAGEMENT CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX DRAWER 38
Aircraft Owner City HENDERSON
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27536
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EDWARD T. COPELAND
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 801 WOODLAWN DR.
Operator City AHOSKIE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27910
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code ASJ
Departure City AHOSKIE
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 2330
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Approach
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 36
Runway Length 3950
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --