Blue Bird Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pleasant View, Tennessee 37032
Saturday, January 30, 1999 12:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated he was flying the experimental airplane on a friend's private airstrip near Pleasant View, Tennessee. During takeoff roll the airplane accelerated to approximately 35 knots and the main landing gear collided with a hole in the sod runway and the airplane nosed over. According to the pilot he did not see the hole in the sod runway. Examination of the airplane showed structural damage to the airframe. The pilot did not report any mechanical problem with the airplane. The pilot also did not report conducting a visual inspection of the runway surface before attempting the takeoff.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of owner of sod runway to properly maintain the runway, the pilots failure to properly preflight the takeoff area before departure.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/30/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PLEASANT VIEW
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37032
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport BLUE BIRD FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 21
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1631
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 24 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2004 2:05PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24562
NTSB Number ATL99LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Gettis H. Hudson
Aircraft Model CORBAN BABY ACE
Aircraft Series Identifier CORBAN BAB
Aircraft Serial Number 415-26-8958
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 741
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLIE COTHERN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7449 HIGHWAY 41A
Aircraft Owner City CEDAR HILL
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37032
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARK A. MAY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2823 HWY 12 N
Operator City CHAPMANSBORO
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37035
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2004 2:05PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 1900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --