Airship AIRSHIP 600 N602SK
15 April 1990 · Creswell, North Carolina, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 15 April 1990 at about 18:00 local time, a Airship AIRSHIP 600 registered N602SK, operated by Airship Industries, was involved in an accident near Creswell, North Carolina, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Creswell, North Carolina, United States
- Coordinates
- 35.8690, -76.3902
- Aircraft
- Airship AIRSHIP 600
- Registration
- N602SK
- Category
- Blimp
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Airship Industries
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Elizabeth City → Florence
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL90FA099
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Probable cause
THE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION UNITS AS THE AIRSHIP TRAVERSED THE DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA BEAM OF A HIGH INTENSITY RADIATED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD (HIRF). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND AND THE LACK OF HIRF CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FOR AIRSHIPS AT THE TIME OF FAA CERTIFICATION.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE CRUISING AT 700 FT ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRSHIP HAD A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRSHIP COLLIDED WITH TREES & THE TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING IN 20 KT WINDS. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRSHIP HAD TRAVERSED THE BEAM OF A HIGHLY DIRECTIONAL RADIO FREQUENCY BROADCAST FROM A VOICE OF AMERICA ANTENNA. THE SIGNAL RADIATING FROM THE ANTENNA HAD BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO DAMAGE ELECTRONIC IGNITION CONTROL UNITS OF THE SAME TYPE USED ON THE AIRSHIP ENGINES. SUBSEQUENT TESTS OF THE FAILED IGNITION UNITS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE MODE IN THIS ACCIDENT REPLICATED THE FAILURES OF THE PREVIOUSLY TESTED IGNITION UNITS. AT THE TIME OF CERTIFICATION, AIRSHIP REQUIREMENTS FOR HIRF (HIGH INTNESITY RADIATED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS) TESTING HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Airship AIRSHIP accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jun 1992 | Airship AIRSHIP 600 | Weeksville, North Carolina, United States | Airship International | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Sep 1990 | Cessna 172N | Stokesdale, North Carolina, United States | Martely, James | No injuries | - |
| 16 Sep 1990 | Cessna 150J | Grantham, North Carolina, United States | Grantham Aero Club | No injuries | - |
| 30 Dec 1990 | Cessna 182E | Saluda, North Carolina, United States | Kaminsky, Russell | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Aug 1990 | Erco 415-C | Huntersville, North Carolina, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 7 Oct 1990 | Mooney M20E | Greensboro, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 1990 | Grumman AA-5A | Lexington, North Carolina, United States | Adkins, David | Serious injuries | - |