Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Millhaven, Georgia 30467
Thursday, June 23, 1983 3:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & HIS SON TOOK OFF AT NIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SEARCH FOR A DOWNED ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY FOUND THE BURNING WRECKAGE OF THE DOWNED PLANE. THEY SAW PEOPLE MOVING AROUND THE ACCIDENT SCENE & MADE A PASS OVER IT BY DIVING WITH THE LANDING LIGHT ON. DURING THE DIVE, LIGHT FROM THE LANDING LIGHT WAS REFLECTED BACK INTO THEIR EYES BY FOG. THE PLT THEN CLIMBED TO AN ALT WHERE HE COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE UNICOM AT ALLENDALE, GA. ACCORDING TO THE PLT'S SON, THEY THEN MADE A SECOND PASS OVER THE DOWNED ACFT. DURING THE SECOND PASS, THE ACFT STRUCK TREES & CRASHED. THE PLT'S SON STATED THAT DURING THE SECOND PASS, HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANYTHING WHEN THE LIGHT WAS AGAIN REFLECTING BACK. HE ALSO SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT THEY WERE GETTING SO LOW. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD REVEALED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.11%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 340
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MILLHAVEN
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30467
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
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 51
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2185
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22531
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 N78160
NTSB Number ATL83FA238
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172K
Aircraft Series Identifier 172K
Aircraft Serial Number 17257506
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 2 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 6355
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROWNING AVIATION SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 543
Aircraft Owner City ALLENDALE
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29810
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 88J
Departure City ALLENDALE
Departure State SC
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 10:30AM
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 --