Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ware Shoals, South Carolina 29692
Saturday, February 19, 2011 17:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-certificated pilot departed from a field near his private residence for a local flight. According to eyewitnesses, the airplane was observed flying overhead about 10 to 15 feet above a tree, which was about 70 feet in height. One eyewitness reported that the airplane was low enough that he could see the occupant’s profile. Several eyewitnesses stated that when the airplane was in the vicinity of the tree, the engine "revved up," then the left wing dropped. The airplane impacted the ground and nosed over. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine revealed no preaccident malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the stall warning switch noted cobwebs inside the mechanism that inhibited the normal operation of the switch. It is likely that the non-certificated pilot was operating the airplane slightly above the stall speed, but no audible warning horn was sounded due to the cobwebs; the pilot then likely let the airspeed drop further, and the airplane stalled and entered a spin; however, due to the close proximity to the ground the pilot was unable to recover. Toxicological testing of the non-certificated pilot’s blood revealed significantly elevated levels of ethanol (alcohol), indicating preaccident ingestion that would have impaired his performance. The testing also indicated the presence of diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine, which can result in cognitive and psychomotor impairment. Thus, it is very likely that the combination of alcohol and diphenhydramine impaired the pilot’s cognitive and psychomotor functioning at the time of the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-certificated pilot's impairment due to alcohol and a sedating antihistamine, which resulted in his failure to maintain airspeed and the subsequent aerodynamic stall and ground impact.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/19/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1710 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Ware Shoals |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29692 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 342736N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0821419W |
| 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 | 1656 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 274 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AND |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 782 |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.16 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 31516 |
| 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 | Aug 27 2013 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3022J |
| NTSB Number | ERA11FA151 |
| 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 | 150E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15061122 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 65 |
| Airframe Hours | 3226 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BURDETTE ROBERT R |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WARE SHOALS |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29692-2610 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | BURDETTE ROBERT R |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WARE SHOALS |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 29692-2610 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Ware Shoals |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Ware Shoals |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 24 2013 5:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |