Valley Farms Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coolidge, Arizona 85228
Friday, November 8, 1991 8:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN ON RUNWAY 30 THE AIRCRAFT 'CROSSED A POINT OF CHANGE IN ELEVATION.' HE SAID THE AIRPLANE BECAME 'LIGHT' AND DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE RUDDER OR AILERON. HE SAID THE WIND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT OFF THE AIRSTRIP TO THE WEST. THE PILOT REPORTED THE WIND DIRECTION WAS FROM 080 DEGREES AT 7 MILES PER HOUR, GUSTING TO 10 MILES PER HOUR. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED, WITHOUT THE PILOT BEING ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL, UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN DUE TO INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND REPORTED BY THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 810
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City COOLIDGE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85228
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VALLEY FARMS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8E4
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1400
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1939
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45872
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40625
NTSB Number LAX92LA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MAULE
Aircraft Model M4-220C
Aircraft Series Identifier M4-220C
Aircraft Serial Number 2146C
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 23 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 1300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOUG & CAROLE HENRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 39721 KANSAS AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City TACNA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85352
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DOUG & CAROLE HENRY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 39721 KANSAS AVENUE
Operator City TACNA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85352
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P06
Destination City BULLHEAD CITY
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --