Rigby-Jefferson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rigby, Idaho 83442
Wednesday, July 12, 1995 8:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT AT 65 MPH ON TAKEOFF, A SUDDEN CROSSWIND GUST HIT THE AIRPLANE, LIFTING IT INTO THE AIR, AND THAT HE COULD NOT SUBSEQUENTLY MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AT FULL POWER. HOWEVER, A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT STATED THAT HE NOTICED NO UNUSUAL WIND GUSTS DURING THE EVENT. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WENT RIGHT WING DOWN, LEFT WING DOWN, RIGHT WING DOWN AGAIN, THEN LEFT WING DOWN, CONTACTING THE GROUND; AND THAT THE AIRPLANE THEN CRASHED INTO A FIELD. A NEARBY WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY REPORTED THE WIND AS SOUTHERLY AT 9 KNOTS. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 6,944 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATES A ROTATION SPEED OF 65 TO 75 MPH AND A FLAPS 15 DEGREE/GEAR DOWN STALL SPEED OF 63 MPH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S PREMATURE LIFTOFF AND FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RIGBY
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83442
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIGBY-JEFFERSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID U56
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 4845
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 847 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID IDA
Elevation of weather observation facility 4740
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6944
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1191
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3936N
NTSB Number SEA95LA146
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20G
Aircraft Series Identifier M20G
Aircraft Serial Number 68-0063
Certified Max Gross Weight 2525
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 3 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 5309
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LARRY E. RIDGEL/MERLIN LUEDTKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 201 LONG ST.
Aircraft Owner City SUISUN CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94585
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RIDGEL, LARRY E.
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 U56
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BYI
Destination City BURLEY
Destination State ID
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 19
Runway Length 3500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --