Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yantley, Alabama 36912
Thursday, September 25, 1986 18:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD JUST PURCHASED THE ACFT WHICH HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. DURING A PREFLT WX BRIEFING, HE WAS ADVISED OF TOWERING CUMULUS CLOUDS ALONG HIS ROUTE. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE INITIATED A CLIMB TO FL 240 & LEVELED OFF APRX 10 MIN LATER. AFTER ANOTHER 7 MIN, THE PLT TRANSMITTED 'N3757Z, I'M IN TROUBLE!' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE ACFT WERE LOST. A MILITARY ACFT WAS DIVERTED TO THE AREA & THE CRASH SITE WAS LOCATED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. FLT CREWS OF OTHER ACFT RPRTD THERE WAS HEAVY WX ACTIVITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACDNT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1810
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City YANTLEY
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36912
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 9
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 265
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 297
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1811
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32272
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3757Z
NTSB Number ATL86FA265
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model A-37A
Aircraft Series Identifier A-37A
Aircraft Serial Number 67-14537
Certified Max Gross Weight 14000
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1400
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WENDY'S OF AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 512 EAST 11 STREET
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THUNDERBIRD AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1108 W. DEER VALLEY RD.
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85027
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TOI
Departure City TROY
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1736
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City ADDISON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --