Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Canyon Lake, Texas 78130
Sunday, February 21, 1988 17:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE NEW OWNER AND HIS SON. AFTER TWO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, THE AIRPLANE WAS 5O FEET IN THE AIR WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED IN HIS REPORT, 'WE SUSPECT A KILL SWITCH WAS INADVERTENTLY TOUCHED AND THIS WAS CAUSE OF UNTIMELY LOSS OF POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CANYON LAKE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78130
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1854 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 34
Weather Observation Facility ID SAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 809
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1700
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 809
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36725
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5539Z
NTSB Number FTW88DRG06
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 HODGES
Aircraft Model CONDOR III +2
Aircraft Series Identifier CONDOR III
Aircraft Serial Number 8312732
Certified Max Gross Weight 200
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Feb 21 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 53
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM H. HODGES
Aircraft Owner Street Address STAR RT. 2, BOX 264-H
Aircraft Owner City CANYON LAKE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78130
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN BARNETT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1601 BARCLAY
Operator City AUSTIN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78746
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Descent
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 20
Runway Length 1200
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --