Pickett's Flyin Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Branchville, Alabama 35120
Saturday, April 11, 1987 12:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE 'HOT' ON FINAL APPROACH DUE TO A TAILWIND, WHILE LDG AT THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND TO AVOID 50-60 FT TREES AT THE FAR END OF THE RWY AND MADE A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. THE STALL WARNING SYSTEM ACTIVATED DURING THE CLIMBING TURN. THE AIRSTRIP OWNER WHO WITNESSED THE GO-AROUND REPORTED THAT THE TURN WAS STEEP AND NOSE HIGH, AND OCCURRED ABOUT HALF-WAY DOWN THE RWY. THE ACFT PITCHED NOSE-DOWN AFTER CLEARING SOME HIGH TREES TO THE SIDE OF THE RWY, AND DISAPPEARED FROM HIS SIGHT. THE ACFT LEFT WING SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A LARGE DEAD TREE IN A PASTURE AND THE ACFT FELL TO THE GROUND UPRIGHT. THE AIRSTRIP OWNER REPORTED THAT THE WINDS AT THE TIME WERE CALM. THE WIND 18 NM AWAY AT BHM WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 310 DEGREES AT 4 KTS AT 1155 CDT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1220
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BRANCHVILLE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35120
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PICKETT'S FLYIN AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AL57
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 700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 252
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 12 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33530
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8960S
NTSB Number ATL87LA109
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 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier 150F
Aircraft Serial Number 15062260
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4984
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CIVIL AIR PATROL, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
Aircraft Owner City MAXWELL AFB
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36112
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code GAD
Departure City GADSDEN
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 36
Runway Length 1754
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --