Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Tennessee 37172
Wednesday, December 20, 1995 12:22 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses in the area stated that, at about 1215, they heard the airplane overhead for several moments. The airplane engine sounded as though the airplane were slowing down and then speeding up during this time, but the witnesses did not see the airplane. They later observed the airplane disappear into a valley in a near vertical dive. The airplane impacted the terrain about 5 miles northwest of the departure airfield in a near vertical attitude. There was continuity of the aircraft flight controls. The medical examiner did not note any irregularities in the autopsy report that might have resulted in pilot incapacitation. The pilot's flight logbook did not show any evidence of prior experience in the Zlin Z50 LA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1222
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37172
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 12
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 2355 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID MKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 433
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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 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) 1994
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 20 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2334
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6660B
NTSB Number ATL96LA025
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 MORAVAN
Aircraft Model ZLIN Z50 LA
Aircraft Series Identifier ZLIN Z50 L
Aircraft Serial Number 0004
Certified Max Gross Weight 1719
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 29 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 972
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT E. BAGGETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1916 EDGAR DILLARD RD
Aircraft Owner City GREENBRIER
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37073
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN W. GRIFFEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address NO. 4 HILLWOOD CT.
Operator City CLARKSVILLE
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37043
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 TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CKV
Destination City CLARKSVILLE
Destination State TN
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 --