2004 Fatal Mishap Claimed Four

A Cirrus SR-20 that crashed shortly after take-off from Greenwood, SC a year ago was slightly overweight, according to a new NTSB report. Witnesses said the plane, with four men on board, barely made it out of ground effect before it heeled sharply and apparently stalled. All four men on board were killed when the aircraft impacted the ground in a subdivision near the airport.

According to the NTSB...

A private pilot stated he was on a cross-country flight from Dover AFB. to Eglin AFB. and he had stopped at Greenwood, South Carolina for fuel. He observed the accident airplane taxi out and depart from runway 27. The takeoff roll was long and the airplane lifted off the ground in "ground effect." The airplane remained about 10 to 15 feet above the runway and continued at that altitude all the way down to the end of the tree line off the departure end of the runway. "The aircraft suddenly pitched up at a steep angle to an altitude of about 300-400 feet. The aircraft then slowed and appeared to experience a departure stall rotating about 175-degrees on its vertical axis to the left. About half way down from the 175-degree rotation point he observed a slight pitch up of nose, and then aircraft entered a near vertical dive to the left. The aircraft went out of sight behind tree line, then he heard two consecutive loud bangs followed by fire ball, and black smoke a few seconds later."

An airframe and power plant mechanic located at the Greenwood Airport, stated he observed the accident airplane taxing to runway 27 with both doors open, and the flaps in the retracted position. The airplane taxied onto the active runway and departed without conducting an engine run-up.

Another witness stated he was playing golf at a local golf course located off the departure end of runway 27 at the Greenwood Airport. He heard the sound of an airplane engine sputtering; he looked in the direction of the sound and observed the airplane spinning to the ground in a nose down attitude to the left. The airplane made about two or three turns to the left before it collided with trees, ground, and burst into flames. He immediately telephoned the 911 emergency operator and reported the accident.

Investigators noted the aircraft was slightly over gross maximum weight when it took off.

The maximum gross weight of the SR20 for takeoff is 3,000 pounds. The pilot completed a weight and balance before departing on the flight from Marietta, Georgia, to Greenwood, South Carolina. The empty weight of the airplane was 2,145 pounds. The pilot indicated he had 350 pounds in the front seats, 150 pounds in the rear seat, and 56 gallons of fuel for a total ramp weight of 2,981 pounds. The pilot and three passengers departed Marietta, Georgia, with a computed ramp weight of 3,111 pounds. The pilot and three passengers departed Greenwood, South Carolina, with a computed ramp weight of 3,045 pounds.

The NTSB report did not find a probable cause for the mishap. It did note the presence of a Tylenol-like substance and cold relief drugs in the pilot's autopsy.

FMI: NTSB REPORT