# NTSB ATL94LA103: Fairchild M-62, N61845, Hendersonville, NC, May 22, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 22, 1994, 13:55 local (17:55 UTC) - Place: Hendersonville, NC - Coordinates: 35.260055, -82.550018 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2601&lon=-82.5500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report December 19, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3387 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL94LA103 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3387/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL94LA103 ## Probable cause THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, PERFORMING 'S' TURNS BEHIND OTHER TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA IN A STEEP, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. NO EYEWITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT WERE LOCATED. AN INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF AIRCRAFT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER WAS CONSISTENT WITH ROTATION AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT DID NOT RECALL THE EVENTS OF THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. ## Factual narrative On May 22, 1994, at 1355 eastern daylight time, a Fairchild M-62, N61845, collided with trees and terrain while maneuvering near the Hendersonville Airport in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The private pilot had serious injuries, and his passenger had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan was on file for the local, personal flight. The flight originated at the Hendersonville Airport at 1345. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration visited the accident site and inspected the aircraft. He reported that the pilot was participating in a local "air fair" at the Hendersonville Airport. The aircraft was observed in the traffic pattern, performing "s" turns behind other traffic. No eyewitnesses to the accident were located, and the pilot did not recall the events of the accident sequence. The wreckage was found in a residential area. The aircraft was in a nose low attitude, resting against a tree. The wings were severed from the fuselage during contact with the trees. The tips of the wooden engine propeller were broken away, with the wood splintered in a direction opposite the direction of propeller rotation. Fuel was found in the fuel system. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N61845](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61845-2013-04-26), registration cancelled 2013-04-26, S/N T42-3129, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Fairchild M-62 - Registry model: [Fairchild M-62](https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-m-62) (registry code 3371602) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Fairchild 6-440 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/fairchild-6-440-series) (registry code 26003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: T42-3129 - Airframe hours: 3398 - Engines: FAIRCHILD 6-440-C5 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Phillips, Chester W. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 12, 1993, 9 hours before - Airport: 0A7, Hendersonville, runway 32, 3,075 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 71; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 1,280 total, 420 in this make and model, 1,155 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 8 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: AVL, 9 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940522012009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940522012009A), May 22, 1994: Frchld M62A, Hendersonville, NC, Destroyed. Indicates aircraft stalled while maneuvering in traffic pattern to stay behind other traffic. 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. --- 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.