None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pleasant Hill, Tennessee 38578
Saturday, April 15, 1995 17:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM HIS PRIVATE, SOD AIRSTRIP, WHICH WAS 600 FEET LONG. TREES BORDERED THE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE REGISTERED ULTRALIGHT CLIMBED ABOVE THE TREE LINE, HEAVY CROSSWINDS BLEW THE AIRCRAFT DOWN TOWARD THE TREES. THE PILOT COULD NOT CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT, AND IT COLLIDED WITH THE TREES. THE PILOT DID NOT POSSESS AN AIRMAN CERTIFICATE, AND HAD LOGGED ABOUT 36 HOURS TOTAL FLYING TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. FACTORS WERE THE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS, THE PERIMETER TREES, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PLEASANT HILL
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38578
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NONE
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 1881
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1752 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID CSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 1881
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4000
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) 116
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 15 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2033
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12SK
NTSB Number ATL95LA083
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 KIRKPATRICK
Aircraft Model SUPER GT 400
Aircraft Series Identifier SUPER GT 4
Aircraft Serial Number 1185
Certified Max Gross Weight 620
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 268
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BENNETT, MICHAEL T.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 4, BOX 792
Aircraft Owner City CROSSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38555
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1745
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --