Graham Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Graham, Texas 76450
Friday, March 31, 1995 21:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT LOST TRACK OF TIME AND IT WAS DARK WHEN HE DECIDED TO TAKE OFF TO RETURN TO HIS HOME BASE. ALTHOUGH HE WAS NOT ENDORSED FOR NIGHT FLIGHT, HE WAS CONCERNED HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND THE SCHOOL PRESIDENT WOULD BE ANGRY WITH HIM. THE PILOT FOLLOWED 'GREEN LIGHTS' AND INADVERTENTLY MADE A SHORT-FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A 900-FOOT TAXIWAY. ACCORDING TO PILOT, THE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO RECOVER, BUT WAS FORCED TO RAISE THE NOSE AGAIN BECAUSE OF TREES AHEAD. THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED AGAIN' AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. DURING AN FAA INTERVIEW, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LANDING LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE AND HE TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY WITH THE GREEN LIGHTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN PROPER LIFT-OFF SPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE THE SELECTION OF THE TAXIWAY FOR TAKE-OFF AND THE INOPERATIVE LANDING LIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GRAHAM
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76450
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GRAHAM MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E15
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 1123
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 203
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 3 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1440
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5426B
NTSB Number FTW95LA155
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15283868
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 2967
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRIDGEPORT FLT TRNG CNTR
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 2, BOX 189-A
Aircraft Owner City BRIDGEPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76426
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1F9
Destination City BRIDGEPORT
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --