Farmville Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Farmville, Virginia 23901
Saturday, October 20, 2001 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certified flight instructor (CFI) intended to fly to a local grass strip to provide the private pilot with tail-wheel aircraft instruction. During the takeoff roll, the CFI lost directional control of the airplane and elected to allow the airplane to depart the right side of the runway and slow down in the grass. However, the airplane struck a ditch and flipped over, which damaged the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The CFI did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane and he further stated that wind at the time of the accident was light and variable. Additionally, the CFI was seated in the airplane's right front seat, and airplane was equipped with "foot brakes" at the left front seat pilot station only.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff. A factor in the accident was the CFI's decision to conduct the flight from the airplane's right seat, which was not equipped with brakes.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Farmville
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23901
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 372127N
Event Location Longitude 0782616W
Event Location Airport FARMVILLE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FVX
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 417
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID CHO
Elevation of weather observation facility 639
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 47
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
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) 11891
NTSB Notification Source RICHMOND FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Oct 31 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2002 10:15AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Richmond

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43529
NTSB Number NYC02LA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Taylorcraft
Aircraft Model BC12-D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7208
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Nov 1 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Vernon Francisco
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Keysville
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23947
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 FVX
Departure City Farmville
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 23 2002 3:08PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 4400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --