Sweetwater County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rock Springs, Wyoming 82902
Friday, August 11, 1995 14:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

INTERSECTING RUNWAYS 09-27 AND 03-21 WERE CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION, AND A PARALLEL TAXIWAY FOR RUNWAY 09-27 HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR USE AS A TEMPORARY RUNWAY. DURING TAKEOFF ON THE TEMPORARY RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT BECAME PREMATURELY AIRBORNE WHEN IT CROSSED THE CROWNED INTERSECTING TAXIWAY. DURING THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH AN AIRPORT INFORMATION SIGN AND SKIDDED TO REST. NO INFORMATION WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO PILOTS BY THE AIRPORT REGARDING THE CROWNED CONDITION OF THE TAXIWAY, AND NO FAA AIRPORTS PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE TEMPORARY RUNWAY NOTING THE CROWNED CONDITION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS INCLUDE THE UNEVEN RUNWAY CONDITION, THE INFORMATION REGARDING THE CROWNED CONDITION NOT BEING DISSEMINATED BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL, AND THE INADEQUATE REVIEW/INSPECTION OF THE CONDITION BY FAA AIRPORT PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ROCK SPRINGS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82902
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SWEETWATER COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RKS
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 6760
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1448 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RKS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6760
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
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) 90
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1258
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1509
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8378E
NTSB Number SEA95LA180
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 M20A
Aircraft Series Identifier M20A
Aircraft Serial Number 1556
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Jan 7 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 112
Airframe Hours 2416
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SLIDER, MICHAEL, A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address #8 DOE COURT
Aircraft Owner City GILLETTE
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82718
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RKS
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GCC
Destination City GILLETTE
Destination State WY
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 0
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --