Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32124
Wednesday, December 1, 1999 10:55 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane's new owner was familiarizing himself with the landing characteristics of the 1943 Howard DGA-1 in crosswind conditions, with the seller aboard, when he attempted a go-around following a bounced landing that resulted in a loss of control, a skid off the left runway edge, a left wingtip strike of the ground, and collision with a tree.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted go-around, and the subsequent wing tip strike of the ground and collision with a tree. A factor in the loss of control was the crosswind conditions present during the landing attempt.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/1/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32124
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRUCE CREEK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7FL6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 34
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
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) 1267
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 1 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35RH
NTSB Number MIA00LA035
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 Howard Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model DGA-15P
Aircraft Series Identifier DGA-15P
Aircraft Serial Number 760
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 1700
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD F. KELSO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3163 ROYAL BIRKDALE WAY
Aircraft Owner City DAYTONA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32124
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 X47
Departure City BUNNELL
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 7FL6
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 4:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --