Flying Circus Aerodrome Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bealeton, Virginia 22712
Sunday, September 23, 1990 13:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER A BRIEF LOCAL FLIGHT, HE LANDED TO THE NORTH ON THE NORTH-SOUTH GRASS STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OUT AND THE PILOT TURNED LEFT ONTO THE DIAGONAL GRASS STRIP, AND BEGAN TO TAXI SOUTHEASTBOUND TOWARD HIS HANGAR. HE REPORTED THAT 'AS I TAXIED ALONG THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE RYAN ON TAKEOFF...HIT ME. I NEVER SAW HIM.' HE ALSO STATED THAT THE PILOT OF THE RYAN NEVER SAW HIM, AND ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A CREST IN THE RUNWAY. THE RYAN PILOT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A SIGNAL FROM THE GROUND FLAGMAN INDICATING THAT HE WAS CLEARED TO BEGIN HIS TAKEOFF ROLL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A VIGILENT WATCH FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT OPERATING ON THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT. THE UNEVEN TERRAIN ON THE AIRPORT RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE IMPROPER SIGNALS GIVEN BY THE GROUND FLAGMAN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BEALETON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22712
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING CIRCUS AERODROME
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3VA3
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 320
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 774
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41812
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N9279 N57015
NTSB Number BFO90LA078A BFO90LA078B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland RYAN
Aircraft Model DH-82A ST3KR
Aircraft Series Identifier DH-82A ST3KR
Aircraft Serial Number A17-64 2042
Certified Max Gross Weight 1875 1885
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1990 12:00AM Jun 15 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55 53
Airframe Hours 5230 1727
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN R. FRIZZELL NORBOB, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5667 RAYBURN AVE. 4035 DOVEVILLE LANE
Aircraft Owner City ALEXANDRIA FAIRFAX
Aircraft Owner State VA VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22311 22032
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name ROBERT M. ORR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Business
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310 1315
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33 33
Runway Length 1500 1500
Runway Width 100 100
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --