- Date
- March 17, 1996, 09:05 local (14:05 UTC)
- Place
- Hampton, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- CFPVESummerfeldt Thorp T-18
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 37993
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 improper planning/decision and selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's failure to use a preflight briefing service, the adverse weather conditions, and soft terrain in the precautionary landing area.
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 obtained weather information from a television weather report before departure. While en route, he encountered heavy rain, hail, and high winds. He executed a precautionary landing in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered soft terrain and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On March 17, 1996, about 0905 eastern standard time, a Summerfeldt Thorp T-18, Canadian registration CFPVE, registered to a private owner, nosed over while landing in a field, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personnel flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Jacksonville, Florida, on March 17, 1996, about 0705.
The pilot stated that before departure he obtained weather information by watching a television weather report. While en route from Jacksonville to Allendale, South Carolina, with another aircraft, they encountered instrument meteorological conditions with heavy rain, hail, and high winds. They attempted to fly to the Hampton, South Carolina Airport, but were unsuccessful due to the weather. They elected to make a precautionary landing in a field. While landing the aircraft nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- CFPVE
- Reported as
- Summerfeldt Thorp T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 91
- Airframe hours
- 80
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brian M. Summerfeldt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 27, 1995 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 23J · Jacksonville, FL
- Destination
- 88J · Allendale, SC
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 825 total · 80 in this make and model · 23 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AGS, 45 nm away