Hawkins Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delta, Colorado 81416
Monday, May 31, 1999 9:16 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot had flown from Delta, Colorado's, Blake Field to Delta's Hawkins Field, where he met his instructor. After making five takeoffs and landings, the instructor disembarked and the student pilot took off to return to Blake Field. He said the wind 'was crossfield at about 5 mph.' When he raised the tail to lift off, the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder, but this did not correct the excursion. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The instructor, who witnessed the accident, said it appeared that a tailwind gust had raised the tail. The student pilot had logged 43.7 hours total time in airplanes, of which 20.6 were in the Emeraude, and 12.6 hours total pilot-in-command time, of which 8.8 hours were in the Emeraude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors were the gusty tailwind and crosswinds reported, and the pilot's total lack of aeronautical experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 916
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DELTA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81416
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport HAWKINS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID D17
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 5000
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6601
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 124
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 750
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99PC
NTSB Number DEN99LA091
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Crozier
Aircraft Model EMERAUDE
Aircraft Series Identifier EMERAUDE
Aircraft Serial Number 1PC
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 6 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 215
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. & APRIL E. BARBER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1700 1825 DR.
Aircraft Owner City DELTA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81416
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 --
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 D17
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 916
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 1V9
Destination City DELTA
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 5600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --