Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Hampton-Varnville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hampton, South Carolina 29924
Friday, November 28, 2014 12:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On November 28, 2014, about 1200 eastern standard time, a Cirrus Design Corporation SR22T, N227RR, descended under canopy of the cirrus airframe parachute system (CAPS) and landed into a wooded area near Hampton-Varnville Airport (3J0), Hampton, South Carolina. The private pilot and two passengers sustained minor injuries, while one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Header Bug LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), Sarasota, Florida, about 0933 EST, and was destined for Orangeburg Municipal Airport (OGB), Orangeburg, South Carolina.
The pilot stated that the purpose of the accident flight was pleasure. He intended to fly to OGB, which was the half way mark of the flight; however, the ultimate destination was to an airport in Leesburg, Virginia. After arrival at SRQ the airplane was removed from the hangar and the fuel tanks were filled. He then performed a preflight inspection using the checklist. No fuel contamination was noted and the oil quantity was checked and found to indicate 8 quarts, or full. After engine start he taxied to the run-up area, and while there performed an engine run-up using the checklist. It included a check of the magnetos at 1,700 rpm, and checking the load of the alternators. When the checklist was completed he obtained his IFR clearance, and departed from runway 04.
After takeoff the flight proceeded towards the destination airport. The pilot further stated that he checked the engine parameters; noting all readings citing specifically (oil temperature, oil pressure, and CHT) were in the green. About 3 minutes later, while flying at 9,000 feet mean sea level with the mixture leaned to the mark and the engine between 65 and 70 percent power, or 2,400 rpm, he heard an audible warning that the oil pressure was zero. The airplane at that time was near Savannah, or about 50 to 60 miles from OGB. The engine power went to idle, and he did not hear any sounds from the engine which was running smooth but was idled back. He reported he had no control over the power, and did not observe any oil or mist coming out of the engine and did not notice any smoke from the engine from oil getting onto a hot exhaust. He also reported he did not hear a change in sound from the propeller as if the propeller had changed pitch, and the propeller never stopped. The passenger in the right front seat read the display on the multi-function display (MFD) that the oil pressure displayed in the red showing 0 oil pressure. In addition, on the primary flight display (PFD) a red highlighted "WARNING" about the oil pressure displayed. He fully enrichened the mixture control and moved the throttle in an attempt to restore engine power but there was no result. Using the on-board avionics he confirmed the nearest airport was 3J0, which ATC confirmed. The controller called to the 3J0 airport to inform personnel there of his situation, and he descended at 98 knots (best glide speed is 88 knots).
The pilot stated that after realizing he was unable to land at 3J0, he informed the passengers to tighten their restrains (seatbelts and shoulder harnesses) before activating the CAPS, and pulled the CAPS activation handle at 800 feet; he did not recall the airspeed at chute pull. He reported that the engine stayed at idle during the descent, and while under canopy, the tail came down just as the airplane hit the trees. He attributed this to the altitude of deployment. A portion of a wing was knocked off and the tail was almost separated. The airplane descended to the ground, and he reported the contact was hard.
The airplane came to rest about ¾ nautical mile and 110 degrees from the approach end of runway 29 at 3J0.
Preliminary inspection of the airplane revealed the right wing was fractured at the outboard end of the flap, and the empennage was fractured just forward of the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer. The airplane was recovered for further examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/28/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Hampton |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29924 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 325138N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0810342W |
| Event Location Airport | Hampton-Varnville |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3J0 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 110 |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1155 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 326 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BNL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 246 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 29 |
| 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) | -- |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.4 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| 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 | Dec 15 2014 1:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N227RR |
| NTSB Number | ERA15LA062 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CIRRUS DESIGN CORP. |
| Aircraft Model | SR22T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0884 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | -- |
| 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 | Header Bug LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sarasota |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34242-1801 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Header Bug LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Sarasota |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 34242-1801 |
| 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 | SRQ |
| Departure City | Sarasota |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 933 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OGB |
| Destination City | Orangeburg |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 15 2014 1:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 29 |
| Runway Length | 3580 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |