El Paso International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Monday, June 24, 1996 6:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll in a crosswind, the plane's tailwheel lock failed. The pilot subsequently lost control of the airplane. The plane went off the left side of the hard surface runway and ground looped.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

loss of directional control due to the failure of the tailwheel lock. A factor was the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 600
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79925
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL PASO INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELP
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 3956
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 650
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 425
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 27 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6048D
NTSB Number FTW96LA276
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-4701
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 3016
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE M. LESSARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31543 HIGHVIEW DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City REDLANDS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92373
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 No
Departure Airport Code DMN
Departure City DEMING
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ELP
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 26
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --