St. Clair County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pell City, Alabama 35125
Monday, September 5, 1983 17:35 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF IN HIGH WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS TRYING TO TAKE OFF BEFORE THE HEAVY RAIN SO HE PICKED A RWY POINTING INTO CLEAR WEATHER BUT WITH A TAILWIND. THE TAILWIND INCREASED DURING THE TAKEOFF WITH GUSTS TO 39 KTS. THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 500 YARDS OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1735
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PELL CITY
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35125
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST. CLAIR COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PLR
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 486
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID ANB
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 28
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 39
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1660
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21994
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82CJ
NTSB Number ATL83LA349
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 JOHNSTON
Aircraft Model LONG E-Z
Aircraft Series Identifier LONG E-Z
Aircraft Serial Number 377
Certified Max Gross Weight 1425
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 May 27 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 115
Airframe Hours 115
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J. CARLIN JOHNSTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12311 B. WILLOW WILD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78758
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 1835
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City AUSTIN
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 20
Runway Length 4200
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --