Gatesville City-County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gatesville, Texas 76528
Monday, April 28, 1997 18:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the takeoff initial climb, the airplane stalled, the pilot recovered, and the airplane entered a secondary stall, oscillated and hit the ground with the gear retracted. The pilots on board the airplane and witnesses stated that the accident was caused by 'an accelerated stall.' During the maintenance flight check, the private pilot/mechanic planned to familiarize the commercial pilot with the airplane for subsequent maintenance flights. The commercial pilot had flight time in tail wheel aircraft; however, he had never flown this make and model. Prior to the flight, the pilots agreed that the private pilot would be the PIC. The private pilot briefed that the commercial pilot would perform the takeoff roll and once the airplane was airborne then he would take the controls. The flight proceeded as briefed. The private pilot reported having 14 hours total time in this make and model of airplane and that he did not have a current medical certificate.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadvertent stall. A factor was the pilot's lack of total experience in the make and model of aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/28/1997
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GATESVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76528
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GATESVILLE CITY-COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 05F
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 905
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 390
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 28 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80737
NTSB Number FTW97LA168
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 Globe
Aircraft Model GC-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier GC-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 140
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ERIK W. MULLOY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 201958
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78720
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUNSET AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 137 AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City GATESVILLE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76528
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 05F
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --