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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

August 16, 1988 · Beech 60 · N21TP

Pageland, SC

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 16, 1988
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Pageland, SC
Aircraft
Beech 60
Tail Number
N21TP
Operator
Rickey L Newsom
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL88FA230

The airplane was observed to approach the airport from the northwest. As it crossed the northeast end of the runway, it initiated a right turn to cross the runway about the midpoint to a position for a left downwind for landing on runway 5. Its altitude was estimated to be about 200-300 feet above the ground and the landing gear was down. The witness did not observe the airplane further. It collided with the ground about 0.4 miles from the threshold. The morning sun was about 10 degrees above the horizon and was about 33 degrees to the right of the runway centerline. It would have been in the pilot's face during his flight from the last departure point. The landing runway sloped upward from the landing threshold. The lower-than-normal traffic pattern, the sun's position in relation to the airplane flight path, and the runway slope could have caused the pilot to perceive his altitude as being higher than it actually was.

Full Narrative

THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO APPROACH THE AIRPORT FROM THE NORTHWEST. AS IT CROSSED THE NORTHEAST END OF THE RUNWAY, IT INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TO CROSS THE RUNWAY ABOUT THE MIDPOINT TO A POSITION FOR A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 5. ITS ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 200-300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS DOWN. THE WITNESS DID NOT OBSERVE THE AIRPLANE FURTHER. IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ABOUT 0.4 MILES FROM THE THRESHOLD. THE MORNING SUN WAS ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON AND WAS ABOUT 33 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PILOT'S FACE DURING HIS FLIGHT FROM THE LAST DEPARTURE POINT. THE LANDING RUNWAY SLOPED UPWARD FROM THE LANDING THRESHOLD. THE LOWER-THAN-NORMAL TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE SUN'S POSITION IN RELATION TO THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT PATH, AND THE RUNWAY SLOPE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE PILOT TO PERCIEVE HIS ALTITUDE AS BEING HIGHER THAN IT ACTUALLY WAS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time07:35 EDT
Nearest AirportPAGELAND (0nm N)
Runway5
Runway Length3700 ft
Runway Width60 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech 60
Tail NumberN21TP
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRickey L Newsom
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-541-E1AC4 · Reciprocating · 380
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 38 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDawn
Wind230° @ 3 kt
Visibility6 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time10:51
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data