Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Antonio, Texas 78214
Wednesday, May 2, 1984 19:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED IN AN OPEN PASTURE WITH TREES ON THE WESTERN PERIMETER. THE ACFT ATTITUDE AT IMPACT WAS NOSE DOWN AT A 30 TO 50 DEGREE ANGLE IN A RIGHT SPIRAL. THE MAIN FUEL TANK MOUNTED ON THE TOP WING OVER AND BEHIND THE ENGINE BROKE FROM ITS MOUNT ON IMPACT AND RUPTURED. A FIRE BROKE OUT AND CONSUMED THE ACFT. A 11 YR OLD BOY SAID HE SAW THE ACFT CLIMB OVER SOME TREES, MAKE A LEFT TURN AND THEN HE HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. THE ACFT NOSED OVER SHARPLY AND DESCENDED BELOW THE TREES. THE WITNESS THEN SAW THE FIRE BALL. PLTS WHO HAD FLOWN THE ACFT SAY IT STALLS WITHOUT WARNINGIF POWER IS RETARDED AND THE SPEED IS DISSIPATED AND THAT THE ACFT ALWAYS FELL OFF ON THE RIGHT WING DURING THE STALL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/2/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SAN ANTONIO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78214
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1916 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SSF
Elevation of weather observation facility 567
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1378
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25184
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 N82DS
NTSB Number FTW84FA218
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model TIGER MOTH DH 82A
Aircraft Series Identifier TIGER MOTH
Aircraft Serial Number NL-904
Certified Max Gross Weight 1770
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 Sep 6 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1859
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City HARLINGEN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78550
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SAN ANTONIO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
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 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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --