- Date
- December 28, 1995, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Planterville, SC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3104UNanchang China CJ6A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 3, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951228042649A
- Case key
- 37964
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
failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from trees.
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
A pilot-rated witness stated that he saw the airplane maneuvering at about 300 feet, when he heard the engine sound stop. He then heard the airplane impact trees and then the ground. The airplane and engine were examined and no preimpact failure or malfuntion was noted.
Factual narrative
On December 28, 1995, about 1430 eastern standard time, a Nan Chang/China CJ6A, N3104U, experimental airplane registered to Planes And Things Inc., crashed 13 miles south west of Myrtle Beach Airport near Planterville, South Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The instrument-rated private pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries. The flight had originated from the Myrtle Beach Airport, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, shortly before the crash.
A pilot-rated witness stated that he saw the airplane maneuvering at about 300 feet, when he heard the engine sound stop, and then heard the airplane impact the ground. An FAA inspector examined the airplane at the accident scene and reported all flight controls were present and all control failures were consistent with overload. The engine was removed and examined in a local repair facility. Crankshaft, cam shaft, and valve train continuity was established. The right magneto and carburetor were destroyed. The left magneto exhibited signs of normal wear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3104U
- Reported as
- Nanchang China CJ6A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1432049
- Engine
- Zhuzhou HUOSAI-6, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Planes And Things Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 25, 1995
- Departed
- MYR · Myrtle Beach, SC
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,285 total · 140 in this make and model · 1,189 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MYR, 12 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.