Mercer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Calhoun, Georgia 30701
Saturday, June 4, 1983 15:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD FLOWN TO THE ARPT TO PERFORM AEROBATIC MANEUVERS AT A FLY-IN. HE HAD A LOW ALTITUDE WAIVER TO PERFORM DOWN TO 500 FT AGL. BEFORE THE FLIGHT, HE TOLD SEVERAL SPECTATORS HE WAS GOING TO DO A MANEUVER RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL DURING THE TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PLT TURNED ON HIS AIRSHOW SMOKE. AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 200 TO 300 FT, HE EXECUTED A RAPID RIGHT ROLL THAT WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS A SNAP ROLL, REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT ROLLED APRX 90 DEG PAST 1 COMPLETE ROLL, THEN THE NOSE PITCHED & THE PLANE CRASHED IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. AN AIRLINE PLT (OWNER OF A BELLANCA DECATHALON) WAS ONE OF THE WITNESSES THAT DESCRIBED THE MANEUVER AS A SNAP ROLL. ACCORDING TO HIS DESCRIPTION, THE PLT USED INSUFFICIENT RUDDER TO STOP THE ROLL AFTER COMPLETING 1 TURN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CALHOUN
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30701
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MERCER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
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 642
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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) 904
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21111
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 N111UD
NTSB Number ATL83FA213
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 405-78
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 465
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD E. WHITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 648 POWERS FERRY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MARIETTA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30067
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Maneuvering
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 3000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --