Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sanger, Texas 76266
Sunday, April 9, 1995 18:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE CLIMB TO 200 TO 300 FEET AGL, ENTER A STEEP RIGHT TURN, COME OUT OF THE TURN 'UPSIDE DOWN', AND THEN 'NOSE STRAIGHT DOWN AND PLOW INTO THE GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THE AIRPLANE 'CAME OUT OF A ROLL-OVER AND PLUNGED STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND.' THE AIRPLANE'S FINAL TURN WAS FROM A SOUTHERLY, OR UPWIND, HEADING TO A NORTHERLY, OR DOWNWIND, HEADING. WITNESSES REPORTED 'STRONG AND GUSTING' WINDS OF '35 TO 45 MPH' OUT OF THE SOUTH. IMPACT WAS NEAR VERTICAL AND ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE FOUND WITHIN 40 FEET OF THE INITIAL GROUND SCAR. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S PERFORMANCE OF A LOW ALTITUDE MANEUVER AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE GUSTY WIND.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SANGER
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76266
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
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 479
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5181E
NTSB Number FTW95FA158
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180B
Aircraft Series Identifier 180B
Aircraft Serial Number 50481
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 3 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 5280
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICE, ROBERT G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2885 BURNEY LANE
Aircraft Owner City SOUTHLAKE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76092
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 TX32
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1755
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 52F
Destination City ROANOKE
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --