Muscle Shoals Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35661
Thursday, March 24, 1988 16:42 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER DURING THE LOCAL, SOLO FLT. THE STUDENT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LDG AT MUSCLE SHOALS ARPT (MSL) WHICH WAS THE NEAREST ARPT. HE MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO LAND ON RWY 36, WITH A 12-20 KT TAILWIND: ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT, HE WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE AIRPLANE ON THE RWY AND HE EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, HE LANDED; THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE 4,000 FT RWY AND NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT RPTD THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ARPT WINDSOCK PRIOR TO LDG. THE WINDSOCK IS LOCATED AT ABOUT MIDFIELD, ACCORDING TO ARPT LAYOUT DIAGRAMS. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE BY A MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FIELD WIRE HAD BROKEN AT THE FIELD TERMINAL, WHICH DISABLED THE ALTERNATOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY LED TO A DISCHARGED BATTERY. THE STUDENT HAD ONLY ABOUT 1 HR SOLO FLT EXPERIENCE. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY LANDED AT MSL, DURING A DUAL-INSTRUCTIONAL FLT ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1642
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MUSCLE SHOALS
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35661
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MUSCLE SHOALS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MSL
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 550
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1649 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MSL
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 602
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1855
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36470
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2738S
NTSB Number ATL88LA124
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150G
Aircraft Series Identifier 150G
Aircraft Serial Number 15066638
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2829
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLT, H.B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1613 BETTY ST. SW
Aircraft Owner City DECATUR
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RUSSELLVILLE MUNICIPAL ARPT
Operator City RUSSELLVILLE
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35653
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 No
Departure Airport Code M22
Departure City RUSSELLVILLE
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
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 Landing
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 36
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --