Charleston Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charleston, South Carolina 29402
Thursday, December 6, 1984 4:34 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT DESCENDED BELOW MDA DURING A NIGHT VOR (NON-PRECISION) APCH TO AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES & GROUNDWHICH WERE OBSCURED BY FOG. THE PLT HAD 'PUSHED' HIMSELF TO MAKE THE TRIP ACCORDING TO FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES IN AN ATTEMPT TO WIN AN ELECTION RESULT APPEAL. HIS LAWYERS REPORTEDLY ARGUED THAT THE TRIP ON THE ACCIDENT NIGHT WAS NOT URGENT & THE MISSION COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED BY OTHER MEANS. THE PLT INSISTED ON GOING TO DO THE JOB HIMSELF IN SPITE OF THE KNOWN ADVERSE WX. THE PHYSICAL STRAIN & FATIGUE WERE APPARENT ACCORDING TO FRIENDS WHO HAD 'GIVEN UP', THEY SAID, INTRYING TO STOP HIM FROM OVER EXERTION & LENGTHY WORK DAYS. THE TOXICOLOGY REPORTS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A DRUG NAMED METHAMPHETAMINE COMMONLY CALLED 'SPEED'. HIS WIFE DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE DRUG & HIS DOCTOR DENIED PRESCRIBING IT. IT IS NOT LEGALLY OBTAINABLE WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION AND IS AN APPETITE SUPPRESSANT. PLTS WIFE SAID HE HAD LOST 'ABOUT 20 LBS' IN RECENT MONTHS. HE HAD NOT REPORTEDLY SEEN A DR RECENTLY. NO MECH DISCREPANCIES OF A CAUSAL NATURE WERE FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/6/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 434
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHARLESTON
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29402
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHARLESTON EXECUTIVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JZI
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 290
Airport Elevation 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CHS
Elevation of weather observation facility 45
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 2964
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26960
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 N7230R
NTSB Number ATL85MA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-555
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 150
Airframe Hours 2275
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WARREN PAUL CONTRELL JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1090
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29402
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CUB
Departure City COLUMBIA
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 224
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JZI
Destination City CHARLESTON
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --