Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Thompson Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Tuttle, Oklahoma 73089
Saturday, October 5, 1996 9:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While approaching to landing at a private airstrip, the airplane's spinner impacted a transmission line; however, the pilot managed to land without further incident. After landing and clearing the 2,300 foot sod airstrip, the pilot checked the airplane for damage. He found only incidental damage to the propeller spinner. After inspecting the engine and completing a full engine runup, the pilot elected to depart the airstrip to the south. The pilot stated that as the airplane approached rotation speed during an up slope takeoff roll, it started to veer to the left, and he was unable to maintain directional control with opposite rudder. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the left side of the strip and impacted fence posts and trees. Witnesses stated that the grass along the edges of the runway was 'long enough to drag a wheel down.' Post-recovery examination of the airframe confirmed flight control continuity to the rudder, elevators and ailerons. Additionally, no anomalies were found with the nose wheel steering mechanism or brake system.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff roll, which resulted in a ground swerve. Factors relating to the accident were: tall grass along the edges of the runway, and the proximity of the fence, fence posts, and trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/5/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | TUTTLE |
| Event State | OKLAHOMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 73089 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | THOMPSON FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 53OK |
| 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 | 1328 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 956 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OKC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1295 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 300 |
| 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) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| 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) | 30 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1086 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 5 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1310 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:24AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N172JF |
| NTSB Number | FTW97LA008 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172M |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17267410 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 2 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15 |
| Airframe Hours | 3445 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GREGG A. FRANK |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1210 SHINGLE PINE ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | O'FALLION |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 62269 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | W.L. FRANK |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1104 INDUSTRIAL BLVD. |
| Operator City | BETHANY |
| Operator State | OK |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 73036 |
| 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 | 53OK |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 928 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | PWA |
| Destination City | BETHANY |
| Destination State | OK |
| 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 | 18 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |