Amateur-built CHAMP accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, November 22, 1982
On November 22, 1982 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built CHAMP, registered N27SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartanburg Downtown Ap. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1982 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Spartanburg Downtown Ap.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CHAMP
- Registration
- N27SS · no longer on the register · serial 316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING AN ENGINE FAILURE DURING CLIMBOUT AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ENGINE DEVELOPED FULL POWER DURING RUNUP AND TAKEOFF. DURING A LEFT TURN TO CROSSWIND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER ANDCONTINUED TO LOSE UNTIL GROUND CONTACT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE HIS TURN TO ALIGN WITH THE RUNWAY DUE TO LACK OF ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES BETWEEN RUNWAYS 29 AND 35.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,882 hours in all; 71 in the last 90 days; 5,622 as pilot in command; 260 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen EXP (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Spartanburg SC
- Destination: Spartanburg SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.