Everett-Stewart Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Obion, Tennessee 38261
Tuesady, September 30, 2003 17:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, while practicing steep turns at 2500 feet, elevator control was lost. The airplane began an uncontrolled descent, and collided with the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator control pushrod was broken. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the 1977 Sheppard S-2 airplane had accumulated a total of 1184 total airframe hours. No record of the time in service was recovered for the failed component. Efforts to obtain information from the pilot was not successful.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the elevator control pushrod, that resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent in-flight collision with ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Obion
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38261
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 361916N
Event Location Longitude 0890627W
Event Location Airport EVERETT-STEWART
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UCY
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 335
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DYR
Elevation of weather observation facility 338
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
Density Altitude (feet) 569
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19833
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 1 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
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 Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Memphis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39S
NTSB Number ATL03LA151
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 Sheppard
Aircraft Model S-2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number GS-2
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1184
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRIFFIN NEIL A
Aircraft Owner Street Address 441 PARKVIEW DR
Aircraft Owner City DYER
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38330
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 --
Departure City Obion
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Obion
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 26 2004 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --