- Date
- December 27, 2003, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place
- Spruce Pine, NC
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1879SSocata TB21
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 24, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Charlotte FSDO-33
- FAA report
- 20031227037729A
- Case key
- 58546
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate flare, and his failure to maintain directional control. The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and trees are a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated he entered left traffic for runway 34, and he noticed a reduction in airspeed as the airplane crossed over a hill. He increased power and the airplane developed an excessive sink rate. The pilot added power; the airplane touched down on the runway, and bounced back into the air. The airplane touched down again and went off the left side of the runway, down an embankment, and the left wing collided with a tree. Witnesses located on the airport who observed the accident stated the winds were one to three knots. Another witness located adjacent to the airport stated the winds were calm. The pilot stated he did not encounter any mechanical problems.
Factual narrative
On December 27, 2003, at 1105 eastern standard time, a Socata TB21, N1879S, registered to and operated by Willis Aviation Resources LLC, as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, veered off the left side of the runway during an attempted landing, went down an embankment, and collided with a tree at Avery County/Morrison Field, Spruce Pine, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual rules flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and four passengers reported no injuries. The flight originated from Gallatin, Tennessee, on December 27, 2003, at 0845 central standard time.
The pilot stated he entered left traffic for runway 34, and while on final approach to land he noticed a reduction in airspeed as the airplane crossed over a hill. He increased power and the airplane developed an excessive sink rate. When the pilot added more power to stop the sink rate, the airplane touched down on the runway, and bounced back into the air. The airplane touched down again and went off the left side of the runway, down an embankment, and the left wing collided with a tree. The pilot stated he did not encounter any mechanical problems with the airplane.
Witnesses who observed the accident stated the winds were one to three knots. Another witness stated the winds were calm. The Hickory Regional Airport located 31 miles southeast of the airport winds was calm with no reported wind shear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1879S
- Reported as
- Socata TB21
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1879
- Engine
- Avco Lycoming TIO-540-AB1AD, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Willis Aviation Resources LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 14, 2003 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- M33 · Gallatin, TN
- Destination
- 7A8 · Spruce Pine, NC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 7A8 · Avery County Airport, runway 34, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 7, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 924 total · 590 in this make and model · 824 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- HKY, 31 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.