Elkin Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

State Road, North Carolina 28676
Sunday, August 29, 1982 17:18 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED HIS ENGINE HAD QUIT. ARTCC ADVISED THE PLT THAT THE NEAREST ARPT WAS ELKING AT 12 MI. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER HE REPORTED THAT HE DIDN'T THINK HE COULD MAKE THE ARPT & WAS GOING TO LOOK FOR A FIELD. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE LANDING GEAR DOWN ABOUT 1 MI FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES ABOUT 300 FT FROM A PLOWED FIELD. OTHER FIELDS WERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. THE PLT'S SHOULDER HARNESS WAS STOWED. THE LEFT TANK WAS RUPTURED & EMPTY. PERSONNEL AT THE WRECKAGE REPORTED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 1 INCH OF FUEL. FUEL STAINS WERE FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UPPER ENGINE CASE SUPPLY LINE FITTING AT THE FUEL MANIFOLD VALVE. FUEL STAINS WERE ALSO NOTED FORWARD OF THE RUBBER COUPLING THAT JOINS THE TURBOCHARGER COMPRESSED AIR LINE TO THE UPSTREAM (AFT) END OF THE THROTTLE BODY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1718
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City STATE ROAD
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28676
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ELKIN MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ZEF
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1645
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 115
Weather Observation Facility ID INT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 73
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3280
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38231
NTSB Number ATL82FA251
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7703191
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 1330
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WATSON DIRECTORY CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3684 FOREST PARK BLVD.
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63108
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD L. WATSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9854 WATERBURY DRIVE
Operator City ST. LOUIS
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63125
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code C
Departure City ST. LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code C
Destination City WINSTON SALEM
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --