Moton Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tuskegee, Alabama 36088
Saturday, May 26, 1990 20:13 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE TWIN-ENG JET ACFT & HAD PLANNED TO FLY IT IN A PYLON RACE AT AN ANNUAL FLY-IN. THE PYLON RACE WAS ABORTED DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY IN TWILIGHT HAZE. THE PLT THEN MADE 3 HIGH SPEED/LOW ALTITUDE FLY-OVERS ALONG RWY 13. DURING THE 3RD FLY-OVER, THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO ROLL TO INVERTED FLT. HOWEVER, WHILE FLYING INVERTED, IT BEGAN TO DESCEND. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT IMPACTED THE GND BESIDE RWY 13, WHILE ON A SE HDG. THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT & GND FIRE; THE WRECKAGE TRAIL EXTENDED ABOUT 400 FT. WITNESSES RPRTD THE ENGS WERE RUNNING THRU-OUT THE MNVR UNTIL IMPACT. ALSO, WITNESSES RPRTD THAT WHEN THE ACDNT OCCURRED, THERE WAS SOME LIGHT IN THE WEST, BUT THERE WAS DARKNESS TO THE EAST. THE PLT HAD ONLY ABOUT 2 HRS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THIS ACFT, NONE OF WHICH WAS IN AEROBATICS. NO OTHER FLT TIME IN THIS ACFT WAS VERIFIED, THOUGH HE HAD 2 BACK SEAT FLTS IN A SIMILAR MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN, WHILE PERFOMING LOW ALTITUDE, INVERTED FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION TO THE PILOT AT DUSK (TWILIGHT), THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AIRCRAFT AND TYPE OF OPERATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2013
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TUSKEGEE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36088
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 MOTON FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 06A
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 264
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1950 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID MGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 221
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2138
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43584
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N633HA
NTSB Number ATL90FA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HISPANO AVIACION
Aircraft Model HA-200
Aircraft Series Identifier HA-200
Aircraft Serial Number E14A-33
Certified Max Gross Weight 7385
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/Foreign 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 2
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 Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES A. BUTLER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2910 WHEELER
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77004
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 06A
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
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 Maneuvering
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 13
Runway Length 5003
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --