Cessna 152 N67581

Summary

On 14 March 1994 at about 04:00 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N67581, operated by Southeastern School of Aero., was involved in an accident near Allendale, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 March 1994 at 04:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Allendale, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Allendale County (88J)

Coordinates

33.0004, -81.3008

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N67581

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Southeastern School of Aero.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Savannah → Columbia

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL94FA062

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE IN THE VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TREES. FACTORS WERE; HIS FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SCHOOL DIRECTIVES BY NOT OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, AND THE RAIN, GUSTING WINDS, AND DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS AT TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OBTAINED A VFR WX BRIEFING AT ABOUT 1624 EST, WHICH CALLED FOR VMC ALONG HIS ROUTE. AFTER HE COMPLETED THE 1ST LEG, HE CALLED FSS TO FILE A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, BUT HE DID NOT GET AN UPDATED WX BRIEF, CONTRARY TO SCHOOL RULES. THE TAKEOFF FOR THE 2ND LEG WAS AT 2158, OR ABOUT 5 1/2 HOURS AFTER HIS WX BRIEF. AN UPDATED AREA FORECAST CALLED FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSHOWERS, AND RAIN SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WERE OBSERVED IN THE AREA PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE ON THE 2ND LEG. DURING CRUISE ON THE 2ND LEG, HE REPORTED DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING VFR. HE DIVERTED TO ALLENDALE AIRPORT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACFT ENTERED TRAFFIC FOR RWY 17, THEN EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST SEEN IN A DESCENDING, LEFT TURN TOWARD RUNWAY 35. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE VARIABLE AND GUSTY, WITH MOD TO HEAVY RAIN, AND A CEILING OF GREATER THAN 2,000 FEET. THE ACFT COLLIDED W/TREES AND CAME TO REST IN A PASTURE 1 MI SSE OF THE AIRPORT. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.