Stanton Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stanton, Texas 79782
Sunday, September 8, 1996 10:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a local aerial application flight maneuver, the pilot was spraying milo and cleaning up the edge of the field when the airplane struck an electrical wire where the rudder and the vertical stabilizer meet at the leading edge and the wire cutters did not cut the wire. The upper bolt of the rudder was pulled out and the rudder was hanging by cables and the lower bolt. During the 15 mile flight to the airport, the rudder vibrated loose and separated from the aircraft. When the airplane was slowed for the landing/flare the pilot lost control of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a wire resulting in the separation of the rudder and a loss of aircraft control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City STANTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79782
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STANTON MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 63F
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 2731
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1281
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 28 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1543
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N57871
NTSB Number FTW97LA029
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
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-36-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-36-300
Aircraft Serial Number 36-7760036
Certified Max Gross Weight 3900
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 Jun 3 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 3374
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DON H. MCMORRIES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 116
Aircraft Owner City TARZAN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79783
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 TRZG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 16
Runway Length 4299
Runway Width 69
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --