# Accident 19990530037149A: Cessna A185F, Chapin, SC, May 30, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 30, 1999, 16:30 local time - Place: Chapin, SC - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.1604° N, 81.3390° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1604&lon=-81.3390&mi=10 - Aircraft: N881FD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N881FD) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F - Reported engine: CONT IO520D - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,412 total, 2,016 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA099) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990530037149A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MAY 30, 1999, AT 1630, EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA A185F, N881FD, COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY LINE AND SANK IN LAKE MURRAY NEAR CHAPIN, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND HIS PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED CAMDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ENROUTE TO VISIT A FRIEND WHO LIVED ON LAKE MURRAY. AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED FOR AN APPROACH TO LAND ON THE LAKE, THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT, REPORTEDLY, SAW THE UTILITY LINES THAT CROSSED THE LAKE AND ATTEMPTED TO FLY OVER THE UTILITY LINES. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE UTILITY LINES, FELL INTO THE LAKE, AND SANK IN 12 FEET OF WATER. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE RESCUED WITHIN MINUTES BY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE WILD LIFE PERSONNEL PATROLLING THE LAKE. (.4) AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED FOR AN APPROACH TO LAND ON THE LAKE, THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER. FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THE PILOT SAW UTILITY LINES T HAT CROSSED THE LAKE, AND ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THE UTILITY LINES. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE UTILITY LINES, FELL INTO THE LAKE, AND SANK IN 12 FEET OF WATER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION INCLUDED A FUNCTIONAL TEST RUN. THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY THROUGH ALL POWER RANGES. THE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR SYSTEM FAILURE. (-23)THE AMPHIBIOUS FLOAT PLANE DEPARTED LAKE WATEREE, CAMDEN, SC WITH THE PILOT/OWNER ^PRIVACY DAT^AND HIS WIFE. THIS WAS A PART 91 FLIGHT WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON LAKE MURRAY NEAR NEWBERRY, SC, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH UTILITY POWER LINES. THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED TO THE WATER AND SANK IN ABOUT 12 FT. OF WATER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTAINTALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EXIT AIRCRAFT AND WERE RESCUED BY BOAT. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE POWER LINES AND WAS PLANNING TO FLY WELL OVER THEM. HE STATED THAT WHEN TURNING LEFT BASE LEG TO FINAL , THE AIRCRAFT LISTED TO THE RIGHT AND BEGAN TO DROP. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS CONTROL INPUTS AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO FULL THROTTLE. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT HIS RIGHT WING SPAR BROKE IN FLIGHT CAUSING HIS CONTROL PROBLEMS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL99LA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA099), May 30, 1999: Cessna A185F (N881FD), Chapin, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the collision with a utility wire. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.