NTSB Identification: ATL03LA094
14 CFR Part 91: General
Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 16, 2003 in Allendale, SC
Aircraft:
Opperman Lancair IV, registration: N29ME
Injuries: 4 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain
errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has
been completed.On May 16, 2003, at 1758 eastern daylight time, an
Opperman Lancair IV, N29ME, registered to Moser Aviation LLC, operating as a 14
CFR Part 91 personal flight, broke up in-flight in the vicinity of Allendale,
South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument
flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial
pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from
Portland, Indiana, on May 16, 2003, at 1445 central daylight time.
A
witness stated he was sitting in his yard. It was thundering but had not started
to rain. He heard an airplane approaching his location traveling towards
Allendale from Columbia, South Carolina. He looked up but could not see the
airplane due to the cloud cover. The engine sounded like it was at full power
and then decreased to idle power. He then heard a sound described as an
explosion. He looked in the direction of the sound and observed the cabin area
come out of the clouds with the wings falling to the ground behind the airplane.
Review of communications between the pilot of N29ME and Jacksonville
center revealed the pilot contacted Jacksonville center at 1730, at cruise
altitude of 17,000 feet. The pilot requested to deviate to the left for weather.
The controller instructed the pilot to stay on his present heading until clear
of traffic. The controller asked the pilot if he was weather radar capable. The
pilot stated he had a storm scope but it was not working. The controller
informed the pilot there was a broken line of weather extending from the
northwest to the southeast. He informed the pilot if he wanted to deviate to his
right he should fly a heading of 200-degrees magnetic for about 30 to 40 miles.
If he wanted to deviate to his left he should fly a heading of 120 to
125-degrees for about 70 miles. The pilot elected to go to the right. At 1741
the flight was cleared to 13,000 feet. At 1745, the flight was cleared direct to
Buford, South Carolina. The pilot informed the controller he would proceed
direct in about 5 miles. At 1749, the flight was cleared to 11,000 feet and he
acknowledged the clearance. There was no other recorded communication between
the pilot and Jacksonville center. At 1755:07, the aircraft was observed on
radar at 11,100 feet. At 1755:19, the aircraft was at 11,000 feet. The last
recorded mode "C" transponder was at 1755:31, at 11,700
feet.
?