Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Greenwood County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Greenwood, South Carolina 29649
Saturday, March 1, 2003 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, during cruise flight at 2000 feet, the airplane entered clouds and the pilot began to descend to 1200 feet. The pilot requested assistance from air traffic, and was cleared to initiate a 180-degree turn. During the 180-degree turn the pilot became disoriented and collided with the ground. No mechanical or flight control malfunctions were reported by the non-instrument rated pilot.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and loss of aircraft control, which resulted in an in-flight collision with the ground.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/1/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 56 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Greenwood |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29649 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 341455N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0820932W |
| Event Location Airport | GREENWOOD COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GRD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | 631 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Partial - limited by pilot |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 56 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GRD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 631 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -655 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Moderate |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19805 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 3 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 231 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 28 2006 1:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N67524 |
| NTSB Number | ATL03LA050 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 152 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15285301 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 2 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 30 |
| Airframe Hours | 6665 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aikin Air Service |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 121-1 Aviation Blvd. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Aikin |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29805 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Curtis Merriweiter |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1366 Shadow Oak Drive |
| Operator City | Evans |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30809 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 7A1 |
| Departure City | GREENVILLE |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2350 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AIK |
| Destination City | AIKEN |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2003 11:54AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |