Capital City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Monday, May 21, 1990 10:09 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND HIS FIVE PASSENGERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO DEPART RUNWAY 24 AT FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, DURING THE TAKEOFF THE TAIL APPEARED TO BE DRAGGING THE RUNWAY, AND SPARKS WERE OBSERVED COMING FROM THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING WITH A NOSE UP PITCH ATTITUDE OF ABOUT 30 DEGREES AND HANGING ON THE PROPELLER. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY, AND AT A HIGH RPM. AT ABOUT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A LEFT TURN, ROLLED INVERTED AND CRASHED. WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT'S CENTER OF GRAVITY EXCEEDED THE AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITATIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1009
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FRANKFORT
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40601
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CAPITAL CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 804
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1052 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 122
Weather Observation Facility ID LEX
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1918
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1035
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43001
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5661F
NTSB Number ATL90FA115
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7780015
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD B. ULDRICKS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7349 WORTHINGTON-GALENA RD.
Aircraft Owner City WORTHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43085
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BURGESS & NIPLE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5085 REED RD
Operator City COLUMBUS
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 43220
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1008
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OWB
Destination City OWENSBORO
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 5005
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --