North American T-6-SNJ5 accident near Camden, South Carolina, September 6, 1997
On September 6, 1997 at about 10:35 pm local time, a North American T-6-SNJ5, registered N1047C, was destroyed in an accident near Camden, South Carolina (Woodward Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to take remedial action after a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, leading to a spin. Factors were the pilot's use of unapproved medication, and the FAA's inadequate certification and standards for airman.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1997 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Camden, South Carolina · Woodward Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-6-SNJ5 · all T-6-SNJ5s on the register
- Registration
- N1047C · registry record · serial 85063
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses stated they saw a low flying airplane performing steep turns, approximately 60 - 70 degrees of bank. While in these turns, the engine began 'missing' and eventually quit. The airplane remained in a left bank, even though the engine was not running. After a few seconds, the witnesses saw the airplane 'snap, roll to the right, and enter a right hand spin'. According to the toxicological examination, the pilot had a drug, fluoxetine, in his system. Patients who are prescribed fluoxetine are not given medical certification by the FAA. This pilot was given a medical certification based on a letter from the pilot's cardiologist which stated the pilot was not being treated for clinical depression. The pilot also had Diltiazem which induces low blood pressure and slowed heart rate. Medical personnel indicated that Diltiazem can reduce the resistance to G-induced loss-of-consciousness (G-LOC). The pilot was issued a special issuance medical certificate, with no restrictions other than for vision, on January 31, 1997 based on a history of angina pectoris and coronary artery disease. Severe coronary artery disease can be aggravated by the physiological effects of acrobatic flight. According to FAR Part 67, the FAA may impose any operational restrictions on the certificate needed for safety.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,346 hours in all; 97 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,660 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1997; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CDN at 10:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from CAE, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL97FA134.