Moontown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moontown, Alabama 35741
Sunday, September 19, 1999 15:23 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After landing on runway 27, during a touch and go landing, the pilot stated there was not enough runway remaining to takeoff again. He aborted the takeoff, overran the runway, collided with a ditch, and nosed over. The wind at the Huntsville Airport, located about 16 miles southwest of the accident site, 27 minutes before the accident, were from 150 degrees at 9 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to land on a runway with a quartering tailwind, his failure to obtain the proper touchdown point on the runway, and his delay in aborting the takeoff phase of a touch and go landing, resulting in the aircraft overrunning the runway, colliding with a ditch, and nosing over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1523
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MOONTOWN
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35741
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MOONTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3M5
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 650
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID HSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 629
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4800
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2200
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 636
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 19 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N734TC
NTSB Number MIA99LA259
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17269092
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 5111
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL J. MURPHY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7701 FOXFIRE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City HUNTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35802
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROCKET AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 358 BOWLING ROAD
Operator City MERIDIANVILLE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35759
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 M82
Departure City MERIDIANVILLE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3M5
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 2180
Runway Width 160
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --