Amateur-built SD 3-60 incident near Charlotte, North Carolina, April 22, 1993
On April 22, 1993 at about 6:20 pm local time, a amateur-built SD 3-60, registered N159CC, was involved in an incident near Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 35 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the operator to provide applicable weather information to the flight crew. Factors were the clear air turbulence, and the captain's failure to use the weather information and assistance that was available to her.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1993 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 35 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SD 3-60
- Registration
- N159CC · registry record · serial SH-3759
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMUTER FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, WHO WAS SERVING BEVERAGES, STRUCK THE CABIN CEILING AFTER A SEVERE JOLT. THE FLIGHT WAS RETURNING TO ITS PREVIOUS DEPARTURE CITY VIA THE SAME ROUTE, AND HAD EXPERIENCED MODERATE TURBULENCE DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT. THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE AREA FORECAST WAS AVAILABLE AT THE DISPATCHER'S DESK AT THE BASE CITY. SHE STATED SHE DID NOT RECALL ITS CONTENTS. THE AREA FORECAST ADVISED OF AN INCREASING NW WIND FLOW ALOFT, TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS, AND FORECASTED LLWS AND ISOLATED SEVERE TURBULENCE. DURING THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT TO THE OUT STATION, A CENTER WX ADVISORY WAS ISSUED. IT FORECASTED SEVERE TURBULENCE IN A CONFINED AREA THAT INCLUDED THIS FLIGHT'S ROUTE. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT WX INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED FROM THE OUT STATION. WX INFORMATION ISSUED TO THIS FLIGHT, AT THE OUT STATION, WAS OBTAINED FROM THE OPERATOR. IT DID NOT CONTAIN THE CENTER WX ADVISORY.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 236 in the last 90 days; 74 in the last 30 days; 3,140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 28, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 27,100 lb
- Seats: 39
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-67R (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ccair, INC
The flight
- Departed from: TRI Bristol VA at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from CLT, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 33 |
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.