Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Welsh, Louisiana 70591
Thursday, May 22, 1997 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the he was making his 7th takeoff that day from a grass airstrip which was oriented perpendicular to a gravel road located just beyond the departure end. Just as the aircraft lifted off, approximately 5-6 feet AGL, the pilot caught a glimpse of a truck passing from right to left along the gravel road. An instant later, the main landing gear and propeller impacted the truck. The aircraft came to rest in a pasture approximately 150 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Both the truck and aircraft were structurally damaged. The pilot also reported that the runway end was not marked adjacent to the road and did not have a designated overrun area. Additionally, the gravel road was lined with 'sparse bushes and tall trees' which made it difficult for the pilot and the driver of the truck to see each other.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a moving vehicle. Factors were: the lack of runway signs and a runway safety area, and the difficulty for the pilot and driver of the vehicle to visually detect each other due to high vegetation at the edge of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WELSH
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70591
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PRIVATE AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 3000
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 166
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 22 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30982
NTSB Number FTW97LA196
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 Ayres
Aircraft Model S2R-T34
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R-T34
Aircraft Serial Number T34173DC
Certified Max Gross Weight 8100
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 Mar 26 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 2355
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD D. TAYLOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7420 ARDOIN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City JENNINGS
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70546
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 D5FG
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 NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
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 10:34AM
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 --