Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beaufort, South Carolina 29902
Sunday, January 2, 1983 10:28 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE IN IMC, THE ATC CONTROLLER NOTED THAT THE ACFT BEGAN TO REVERSE COURSE & ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS HAVING A PROBLEM. THE PLT RESPONDED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN CLOUDS, HE WAS HAVING PROBLEM WITH HIS ARTIFICIAL HORIZON & THAT HE DIDN'T REALIZE HE WAS IN A TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REPORTED FAILURES OF THE ARTIFICIAL HORIZON & AUTOPILOT, AND SAID HE WAS USING NEEDLE, BALL & AIRSPEED. THE CONTROLLER PROVIDED GYRO OUT PROCEDURES, BUT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN AN ALTITUDE & HEADING. ALSO, WX THRU-OUT THE AREA CONSISTED OF LOW CEILINGS & CLOUDS TO ABOVE 18,000 FT. THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE BEST WX AROUND WAS AT CHATTANOOGA, TN, WHICH HAD 1300 SCATTERED, 2000 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 3 MI WITH LIGHT RAIN & FOG. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. PARTS OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND IN THE COMBHEE RIVER. THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND ABOUT 1000 FT FROM THE RIVER. THE VACUUM PUMP, ENG, TURN & BANK INDICATOR AND SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS WERE RECOVERED FROM THE RIVER, BUT NO MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THESE WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1028
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BEAUFORT
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29902
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID NBC
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 13
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1929
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22159
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 N8066P
NTSB Number ATL83FA081
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3313
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 29 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4814
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD J. HUMKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 26 PARTRIDGE LAND
Aircraft Owner City TINTON FALLS
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 07724
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 FMY
Departure City FT. MEYER
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 758
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City WILMINGTON
Destination State NC
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 --