Folsom Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cullman, Alabama 35055
Saturday, August 26, 2000 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that during the landing rollout she applied left rudder but the airplane veered to the left and right again. She further stated that she then applied full power to attempt to make the airplane fly, and affect a go-around, but it veered even more, and exited the runway into a ditch, and collided with the dirt bank at full power. The pilot also said that prior to the accident, there had been no mechanical malfunction or failure to the aircraft or any of its systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the landing rollout, which resulted in a ground swerve, and the aircraft exiting the runway and incurring substantial damage when it collided with a dirt bank.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CULLMAN
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35055
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport FOLSOM FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3A1
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 963
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID HSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 629
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
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) 2200
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) 473
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL Comm. Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N239NA
NTSB Number MIA00LA250
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18-105
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-105
Aircraft Serial Number 18-2384
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Aug 6 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 4577
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES D. ROBERTSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1665 COUNTY RD. 798
Aircraft Owner City CULLMAN
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35055
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3A1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 25 2001 4:10AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --