# NTSB MIA00LA040: Piper PA-28-140, N3848K, Pelzer, SC, December 4, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 4, 1999, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Pelzer, SC - Coordinates: 34.640377, -82.460273 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6404&lon=-82.4603&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report November 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47859 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA00LA040 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47859/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA040 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to recognize and compensate for changing wind conditions while on final approach and landing and his failure to initiate a timely go-around, resulting in collision with trees and a utility pole. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, go-around (vfr) - compensation for wind conditions - not identified, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - object - tree(s) - object - utility pole ## Analysis Statements by both the student pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger reveal that, although the airstrip's wind sock indicated light surface winds, on final approach, the airplane's ground speed appeared excessive and on landing flare, the airplane floated or 'ballooned' for an excessive distance. The student pilot performed a go-around, and collided with trees and a utility pole. The student pilot stated he experienced no mechanical difficulties with the airplane. Federal Air Regulations Part 61.89, paragraph (a), states that , 'A student pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying a passenger.' ## Factual narrative On December 4, 1999, about 1130 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N3848K, registered to Carolina Petroleum Equipment, Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while attempting a go-around at Sky Valley Airpark, Pelzer, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the student pilot and a private pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from McCormick, South Carolina, about 45 minutes before the accident. According to the student pilot's statement, he performed a fly-by of the airstrip for the purpose of viewing the windsock, and he stated that the "flag was limp". He then entered a left downwind for a full-stop landing to runway 05 and on final approach he held a steady 75 miles per hour. As he overflew the runway threshhold, the ground speed appeared to be fast and the flare extended longer than what he remembered occurring during the previous 8 to 10 times that he had landed on that runway. When it appeared that he might use up too much runway to get stopped, he attempted a go-around, but collided with trees and a utility pole. The student pilot indicated there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions of any type, and that, somehow, the surface winds at the airstrip must have picked up between the time he observed the windsock and his touchdown. The winds reported by Greenville Downtown Airport, 17 miles northeast, for 1053 were from 250 degrees at 10 knots. According to FAA personnel, the airplane landed long and bounced twice before the student pilot decided to perform a go-around. During the go-around attempt, the airplane collided with trees, a utility pole and wires, skidded across a perimeter road, and came to rest against a barbed wire fence. Federal Air Regulations Part 61.89, paragraph (a), states that, "A student pilot may not act as a pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying a passenger." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3848K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3848K-2000-07-28), registration cancelled 2000-07-28, S/N 28-23748 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-140 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-23748 - Airframe hours: 3800 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Carolina Petroleum Equip, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 1999, 40 hours before - Departed: SC41, MCCORMICK, SC - Destination: SC32, PELZER, SC - Airport: SC32, Sky Valley Airstrip, runway 5, 2,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 300 total, 125 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GMU, 17 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 19991204043869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991204043869A), Dec 4, 1999: Piper PA28140, Pelzer, SC, Substantial damage. (.4)Statements by both the student pilot and a private pilot-ra ted passenger reveal that, although the airstrip's wind sock indicated light surface winds, on… 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.