Hilton Head Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hilton Head, South Carolina 29925
Saturday, November 23, 2002 9:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and the previous owner were completing a required five-hour block of flight time in the Murphy Rebel when the accident occurred. The pilot further stated that following the landing on the first third of the 4300-foot-long runway, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway. The pilot applied full power in an effort to correct the left drift and to establish a climb. The airplane plunged into a nearby canal as the pilot attempted to establish a climb. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane. The pilot had purchased the airplane the day before the accident and had flown three hours total time in the Murphy Rebel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing that resulted in the in-flight collision with a ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/23/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Hilton Head
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29925
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 321330N
Event Location Longitude 0804154W
Event Location Airport Hilton Head
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HXD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID NBC
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14811
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 23 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office South Carolina FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14UJ
NTSB Number ATL03LA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hickman
Aircraft Model Murphy Rebel
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 146R
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Nov 1 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bruce Hann
Aircraft Owner Street Address 745 Hann St
Aircraft Owner City Athens
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45701
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 HXD
Departure City Hilton Head
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
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 Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Dec 5 2003 8:49AM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length 4300
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --