Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Mineral Wells Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mineral Wells, Texas 76067
Wednesday, July 4, 2001 11:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the takeoff roll, the pilot was unable to move the control stick back to the neutral "takeoff" position. After realizing the control was jammed forward, the pilot closed the throttle and attempted to maintain directional control with the brakes. The pilot was not able to free the elevator control stick. The pilot felt that he did not have sufficient runway to stop the airplane on the departure runway; therefore, he turned the airplane to the left onto another runway. Approximately 2/3 of the way through the turn, the "west wind lifted the left wing and the right wing struck the ground." The airplane rotated back to the right coming to rest on the approach end of the runway. Fire was immediately noticed, the pilot opened the canopy, and the airplane was evacuated. The airplane was consumed by fire. The pilot stated that the "control stick grip lodged behind [the] instrument panel on takeoff." The pilot recommended a "more secure attachment of [the] control stick grip and redesigned travel of [the] control stick so that [the] stick will not travel under instrument panel." The weather observation facility reported the wind from 260 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the jammed elevator control stick on takeoff roll. A contributory factor was the crosswind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/4/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1115 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mineral Wells |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76067 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 324654N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0980337W |
| Event Location Airport | Mineral Wells |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MWL |
| 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 | 973 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Abbreviated |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MWL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 973 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.16 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10692 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 4 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1510 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 9 2001 3:21PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Worth, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N50FG |
| NTSB Number | FTW01LA159 |
| 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 | GLOVER |
| Aircraft Model | RV-8 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 80-309 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1800 |
| 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 | Nov 28 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 51 |
| Airframe Hours | 92 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Frank M. Glover, JR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P. O. Box 287 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Mount Pleasant |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75456 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MWL |
| Departure City | Mineral Wells |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1115 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | F55 |
| Destination City | Granbury |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - aborted |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 21 2001 2:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MORJU |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 4188 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |