Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Branhams Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Darlington, South Carolina 29532
Wednesday, March 11, 2009 21:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The recently certificated pilot was returning to the airport after a local flight under dark night visual meteorological conditions. To avoid hitting trees, the pilot flew a higher-than-normal final approach to Runway 34, a 3,200-foot-long turf runway with lighting. The pilot landed beyond the normal touchdown zone, and then firmly applied the brakes. The left tire "locked up" and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, where it impacted a tree-lined ditch. The airplane received substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any. The reported wind at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, was from 250 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot reported 83.6 hours of total flight experience, of which 15.1 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane and 4.4 hours were at night.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident were the dark night and the pilot's lack of experience.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/11/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2145 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Darlington |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29532 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 341644N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0795535W |
| Event Location Airport | Branhams Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 6J7 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 165 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2135 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 15 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | UDG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 192 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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) | 25352 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 9 2009 4:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N82891 |
| NTSB Number | ERA09CA196 |
| 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 | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 161 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8316008 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2447 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 5 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 48 |
| Airframe Hours | 6638 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Skyline Aviation Leasing LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 Silverside Rd Suite 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Wilmington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Skyline Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1817 Hospitality Trail |
| Operator City | Darlington |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 29532 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | UDG |
| Departure City | Darlington |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 2030 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 6J7 |
| Destination City | Darlington |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 9 2009 4:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 3200 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |