Wolfe Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manvel, Texas 77578
Tuesady, May 22, 2001 18:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were executing touch-and-go landings on the 2,190-foot grass runway. The airplane landed, accelerated for takeoff, and lifted off the ground approximately 600-700 feet from the departure end of the runway. A witness reported that the airplane attained a height approximately 20 feet agl and "immediately the right wing dropped slightly, and corrected back to level." Subsequently, "the right wing dropped to about a 45-degree angle, stopped slightly, and then continued to drop to a full 90 degree down position." The airplane's right wing contacted the ground, the airplane began to cartwheel and came to rest against a tree. The airplane was consumed by a post crash fire. The airframe and engine were examined and no anomalies were found that would preclude normal operation of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a touch-and-go landing, for an undetermined reason.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Manvel
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77578
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Wolfe Airpark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3T2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 55
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 360
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) 1664
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 11921
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 22 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 1 2002 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Houston, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3GJ
NTSB Number FTW01LA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Gideon
Aircraft Model Wittman Tailwind W8
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number GR-1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jul 29 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 358
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Roy M. Adams
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21 Powers Lane
Aircraft Owner City Alvin
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77511
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3T2
Departure City Manvel
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3T2
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jun 5 2002 9:01AM
User who most recently changed record SNYG
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 2190
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --