Stanton's Barbecue & Fish Camp Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bennettsville, South Carolina 29512
Sunday, June 12, 2011 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he attempted to take off from a grass airstrip on a runway that sloped upwards to the crest of a hill. He began the takeoff roll midway up the slope with his forward visibility limited due to the slope's inclination and the taildragger configuration of the airplane. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, the pilot realized that the runway doglegged about 40 degrees to the left, but the airplane was traveling too fast at that point to be able to make the turn. The airplane left the runway and continued down an adjacent road before veering into a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and noted that the accident could have been prevented had he taxied to the crest of the hill first and performed a visual check prior to beginning the takeoff attempt.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight familiarization of the airstrip.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Bennettsville
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29512
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344405N
Event Location Longitude 0794006W
Event Location Airport Stanton's Barbecue & Fish Camp
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 28691
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 Jul 7 2011 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N444YB
NTSB Number ERA11CA339
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name KENDALL W R/MCLAUGHLIN J
Aircraft Model RANS S-10 SAKOTA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1JB
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MORRIS C HERRING JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ROSEBORO
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28382
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name MORRIS C HERRING JR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ROSEBORO
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 28382
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Bennettsville
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NC71
Destination City Parkton
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2011 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --