Gatesville City - County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gatesville, Texas 76528
Saturday, November 23, 1985 12:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS. THE PIC SAID THAT THE PASS'G/PLT HAD FLOWN THE LAST PART OF THE FLT. FOLLOWING A MANEUVER AT APRX 500 FT AGL, THE ACFT WAS MANEUVERED INTO A CLIMBING LEFT TURN DURING WHICH IT CONTINUED TO ROLL UNTIL INVERTED. THE PASS'G/PLT, ACCORDING TO THE PIC, REDUCED POWER AND TRIED TO PULL THE ACFT NOSE THROUGH THE DIVE TO RECOVERY. DURING THE BOTTOM OF THE MANEUVER THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE WINGS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT BY THE COLLISION WITH THE TREES AFTER WHICH THE ACFT NOSED DOWN INTO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/23/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GATESVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76528
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GATESVILLE CITY - COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O5F
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 15
Airport Elevation 905
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1851 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID ACT
Elevation of weather observation facility 516
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2867
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 23 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30987
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 N448RV
NTSB Number FTW86FPA07
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 BILL MCCARLEY
Aircraft Model RV-4
Aircraft Series Identifier RV-4
Aircraft Serial Number 448
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 10 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 50
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES & BILLY MCCARLEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 322 W. MAIN
Operator City GATESVILLE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76528
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code O5F
Departure City GATESVILLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code O5F
Destination City GATESVILLE
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --