Panaca Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Panaca, Nevada 89042
Tuesady, November 26, 1985 15:12 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB STRAIGHT AHEAD AND MAKE A SHALLOW LEFT 90 DEGREE TURN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO RESUME LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SLOWLY WEN INTO A BANK AND FELL OFF INTO A DIVE STRIKING THE GROUND. THIS WAS THE FIRST TEST FLIGHT FOR THIS AIRCRAFT. NO FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME, POWER PLANT OR FLIGHT CONTROLS. NO STALL WARNING SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED ON THIS AIRCRAFT. ON AUTOPSY THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS OPINION WAS THAT THE PILOTS DEATH WAS CAUSED BY MULTIPLE EXTREME TRAUMATIC INJURIES. THE PILOT HAD HAD A CORONARY BYPASS OPERATION. THE PILOT PROBABLY ENTERED INTO A STALL DURING THE TURN TO DOWNWIND WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AVAILABLE FOR RECOVERY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1512
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City PANACA
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89042
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 PANACA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1L1
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 120
Airport Elevation 4828
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1551
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELY
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 4
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 2565
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 26 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30045
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 N999TG
NTSB Number SEA86FVW01
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 GRIFFIN, THOMAS
Aircraft Model MODIFIED KR-Z
Aircraft Series Identifier MODIFIED K
Aircraft Serial Number 100
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Nov 2 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
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 GRIFFIN, THOMAS A
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 43
Operator City PIOCHE
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89043
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 1L1
Departure City PACANA
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1512
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1L1
Destination City PANACA
Destination State NV
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 17
Runway Length 1620
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --