Acadiana Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Iberia, Louisiana 70562
Friday, June 4, 1999 8:34 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport rated pilot lost control of the tailwheel equipped airplane during takeoff. The pilot was occupying the left seat, and the owner was occupying the right seat of the dual control airplane. The airplane broke ground in a 3-point attitude. The wheels touched the runway after the nose was lowered to gain airspeed and the airplane veered abruptly to the left resulting in a ground loop. The owner reported that prior to the accident, 4 touch and go landings were executed on runway 34. Additionally, 2 stop-and-go landings were performed on runway 34, with the takeoffs being initiated from abeam the 3,500 foot marker. An eyewitness at the airport reported that the airplane appeared to have gotten airborne prematurely. At the time of the accident, the sky conditions were clear and the wind at the airport was reported from 200 degrees at 3 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent ground loop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/4/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 834
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NEW IBERIA
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70562
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ACADIANA REGIONAL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ARA
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 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ARA
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 138
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 4 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1010
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 N2680K
NTSB Number FTW99LA159
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 Luscombe
Aircraft Model 8E
Aircraft Series Identifier 8E
Aircraft Serial Number 5407
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 17 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 1231
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEPHEN P. LILL
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 80336
Aircraft Owner City LAFEYETTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70598
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 No
Departure Airport Code LFT
Departure City LAFAYETTE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ARA
Destination City
Destination State
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 34
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --