Hampton-Varnville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hampton, South Carolina 29224
Saturday, February 12, 1983 18:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT COLLAPSED DURING A HARD LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CLEARED TALL PINE TREES NORTH OF THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT 90 MHP (78 KTS). SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SINK 'REAL FAST'. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TRIED TO CORRECT THE SINK RATE BUT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND DAMAGING THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE GEARS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/12/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HAMPTON
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29224
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HAMPTON-VARNVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3J0
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 13
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1800 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 17
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 66
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26074
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 N40863
NTSB Number ATL83LA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-743536
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 2 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 752
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J.W. FOWLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 7 JACKSON MILL ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SPARTANBURG
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29303
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 33A
Departure City LANDRUM
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 29
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --