Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bluffton, South Carolina 29910
Saturday, November 20, 2010 20:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the airplane was in cruise flight at 2,000 feet mean sea level, when he felt a violent impact/upset and thought something hit the rudder. The airplane became unstable and started to rock from side to side, causing the pilot to perform a forced landing to a river. The airplane was not located or recovered and is assumed to have sustained substantial damage. The cause of the reported violent impact/upset could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight upset of undetermined origin resulting in a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/20/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Bluffton
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29910
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 321315N
Event Location Longitude 0805145W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID HXD
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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) 28270
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 6 2011 1:51PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N882AV
NTSB Number ERA11LA071
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17269667
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
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 7 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 337
Airframe Hours 89118
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name AVION AIR ACADEMY LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1300 E 26TH PL
Aircraft Owner City SANFORD
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32773-9366
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name William C. Ambercrombie
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Waynesburg
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 15370
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 HXD
Departure City Hilton Head
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RBW
Destination City Walterboro
Destination State SC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 6 2011 1:53PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --