Huntsville North Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Sunday, September 7, 1986 14:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STATED PURPOSE OF THIS FLT WAS A BFR FOR THE PLT. BOTH THE CFI AND THE PLT STATED THAT THE BFR PART OF THE FLT WAS COMPLETE AND THAT THE PLT WAS PRACTICING A SHORT FIELD LANDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE APPROACH WAS TOO LOW AND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SNAGGED A CABLE STRUNG ACROSS THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CABLE WAS TO KEEP CARS FROM TAKING A SHORT CUT ACROSS THE RWY. RWY 36 HAS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD. OTHER ACFT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FORCED THE PLT TO MAKE A LONGER THAN NORMAL FINAL APCH. THE PAX STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE SINK RATE INCREASED JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE CABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HUNTSVILLE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35801
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 HUNTSVILLE AIRPORT NORTH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M82
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 755
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1346 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID HSV
Elevation of weather observation facility 630
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2400
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2021
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1810
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32555
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 N6309P
NTSB Number ATL86LA247
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24 180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24 180
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1419
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 22 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 4050
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 706 FAGAN SPRINGS DR.
Aircraft Owner City HUNTSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35801
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3765
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --