Martin County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Robersonville, North Carolina 27871
Thursday, January 20, 1983 16:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING. THE ACFT WAS 5 MILES FORM AN AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD CALLED ON UNICOM AND SAID HE WAS LOST AND HAD PARTIAL POWER LOSS. HE ASKED IF ANYONE COULD HEAR HIM AND HE DIDNOT BELIEVE HE COULD MAKE THE AIRPORT AS HE WAS TOO LOW. HE WAS GIVEN THE NDB FREQUENCY FOR THE AIRPORT. HE WAS ADVISED THAT HE WAS TOO FAR AWAY TO BE HEARD. IN HIS LAST TRANSMISSION THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT HAVE THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT AND WAS NOT SURE OF HIS LOCATION. HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO LAND OFF THE AIRPORT. WHEN THERE WERE NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS THESHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED. NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITY COULD BE FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE THAT COULD HAVE PRODUCED A LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/20/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ROBERSONVILLE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27871
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 MARTIN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MCZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2100
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID RWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 158
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 122
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20282
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 N98302
NTSB Number ATL83FLJ01
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
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 28-26159
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 24 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 3227
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REX F. TILLOTSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX KJ
Aircraft Owner City WILIAMSBURG
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23185
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLONIAL AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 380
Operator City WILLIAMSBURG
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23185
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ILM
Departure City WILMINGTON
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1953
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W70
Destination City WILLIAMSBURG
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --