Gen Dewitt Spain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Memphis, Tennessee
Friday, July 19, 1985 22:52 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF PWR. PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO PRACTICE NIGHT TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ON THE FIFTH TAKEOFF, AT APRX 200 FT AGL, A TOTAL LOSS OF PWR WAS EXPERIENCED. THE ACFT CONTACTED AN EMBANKMENT DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT PLT ON BOARD REPORTEDHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH PWR DURING TAKEOFF IN N89634 ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. AN A&P MECHANIC INSPECTED THE ACFT AND TEST FLEW IT AFTER THE INCIDENT BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PWR LOSS. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT AND ENGINE FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2252
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MEMPHIS
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GEN DEWITT SPAIN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M01
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 25
Airport Elevation 224
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2250 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 332
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 690
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2252
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27914
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89634
NTSB Number ATL85FLT09
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15282809
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 4 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 2161
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK S. GRONER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1995 LITTLEMORE
Aircraft Owner City CORDOVA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38018
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST MEMPHIS AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2449
Operator City WEST MEMPHIS
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72301
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 M01
Departure City MEMPHIS
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 2230
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code AWM
Destination City WEST MEMPHIS
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 34
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --