Flying X Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Columbiana, Alabama 35051
Saturday, May 18, 1985 14:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRSTRIP IS USED PRIMARILY AS A GLIDERPORT AND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, TRAFFIC WAS BEING CONTROLLED BY A PERSON ON THE GROUND USING HANDSIGNALS. N28428 PROCEEDED ON TO THE RWY TO TAKEOFF AS THE ULTRALIGHT WAS ON FINAL APCH. BOTH PLTS OBSERVED THE PERSON CONTROLLING MTRAFFIC TO BE WAVING HIS ARMS, HOWEVER, BOTH PLTS ASSUMED HE WAS CLEARING EACH TO PROCEED. N28428 WAS ON IT'S TAKEOFF ROLL AS THE ULTRALIGHT DESCENDED ONTO IT'S WING. THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS THEN ABORTED. INTENT OF THE CONTROLLER'S HANDSIGNALS WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1455
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COLUMBIANA
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35051
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FLYING X RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 466
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1415
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 18 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Apr 7 2001 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N28428 NONE
NTSB Number ATL85FA169A ATL85FA169B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 103: Ultralight
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LUSCOMBE Unknown
Aircraft Model 8-A GLIDER TRYKE
Aircraft Series Identifier 8-A GLIDER TRY
Aircraft Serial Number 1295 NONE
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200 --
Aircraft Category Airplane Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 1
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 21 1984 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 80 --
Airframe Hours 2654 11
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES K. HURD CHARLIE MAYTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3424 CLAIRMONT AVE. 4209 6 AVE. SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AL AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35222 35222
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code 06 06
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1655 1600
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 21A
Destination City SHELBY COUNTY
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff Landing
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33 33
Runway Length 2400 2400
Runway Width 50 50
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --