Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Campobello, South Carolina 29322
Sunday, December 28, 2003 13:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot obtained fuel before departing on the cross country flight. Two witnesses on the ground heard and observed the airplane approaching their location. The airplane was about 100 to 200 feet above the trees. One witnesses stated the airplanes engine was heard to increase in power, decrease in power, and increase in power again. The other witnesses stated the engine was making a popping sound, while the engine was cutting in and out. The airplane was observed to make a steep right turn and the right wing was perpendicular to the ground. The nose of the airplane pitched down and the airplane disappeared from view. The Flight Manual states the airplane will stall at 98 MPH without extended flaps at a 60-degree bank angle. Examination of the crash site revealed the right main fuel cap tab was secured. The left main fuel cap tab was in the open position. Examination of the airframe and engine assembly revealed no anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering for an emergency landing resulting in an inadvertent stall and a collision with trees and the ground during an uncontrolled descent. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/28/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1310 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Campobello |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29322 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 351050N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0820350W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| 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 | 1253 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GSP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 810 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 23 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.3 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 650 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 16821 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 28 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1515 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2004 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Columbia FSDO-13 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2996L |
| NTSB Number | ATL04FA061 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | 20F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 670355 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2323 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 13 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Josephine Melia |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6619 187th Place |
| Aircraft Owner City | Live Oak |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32060 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Floyd C. Redmond |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 406 Belmont Road Apt 1 |
| Operator City | Tallahassee |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32301 |
| 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 | OH29 |
| Departure City | Petersburg |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 24J |
| Destination City | Live Oak |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 22 2004 11:27AM |
| 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 | -- |