Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bat Cave Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Antonio, Texas 78266
Sunday, December 21, 1997 15:15 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During cruise flight, the left leading edge wing strut fitting failed, & the amateur-built aircraft, which was being operated as an ultralight vehicle under an exemption to Title 14 CFR Part 103, entered a left spin. The ultralight instructor pilot deployed the aircraft's emergency parachute, which inflated partially & slowed the aircraft's rate of descent. A witness observed the aircraft impact the ground in a nose down attitude at an estimated speed of 25 to 30 mph. Examination revealed the wing strut fitting failed due to improper installation of the 3 bolts, used to secure the fitting to the leading edge wing spar. The bolts had been inserted through the forward holes of the fitting, through holes in the tubular spar, but not through the rear holes of the fitting. This defect was not visible during preflight inspections; however, it could have been found during a condition inspection, since a zipper installed in the fabric lower wing surface provided access to examine the rear of the fitting with the aid of a flashlight & mirror. No record was found to indicate that a condition inspection had been performed on the kit-built aircraft, in accordance with provisions for using the '2-Place Training Exemption.' The aircraft was first flown in February 1995 & had been owned by the pilot since June 1995. The main line, which fastened the Ballistic Recovery System (BRS) parachute to the airplane, was found wrapped around the propeller drive shaft of the rear-mounted (pusher) engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the kitplane builder's improper installation of the bolts attaching the left leading edge wing strut fitting to the leading edge spar, which resulted in the eventual failure of the fitting and the ensuing loss of control. Related factors were: the owner/pilot's failure to ensure that a condition inspection of the aircraft was performed, and failure of the aircraft's emergency (Ballistic Recovery System) parachute to fully deploy.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/21/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1515 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | SAN ANTONIO |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78266 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | BAT CAVE FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TS55 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 700 |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1368 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 23 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 730 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | NONE |
| NTSB Number | FTW98LA071 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 103: Ultralight |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Unknown |
| Aircraft Model | QUICKSILVER GT-500 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | QUICKSILVE |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 290 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Not Registered |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 98 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | H. DOAK NEAL |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2202 ESTATE GATE DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAN ANTONIO |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78260 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Unknown |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Unknown |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TS67 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1415 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| 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 | Descent - uncontrolled |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |