Abilene Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Abilene, Texas
Friday, June 11, 1982 18:32 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 5 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT INITIATED A HIGH SPEED LOW PASS OVER THE AIRPORT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 1000 FT FROM THE AIRPORT AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE RICHT WINGLET SEPARATED. A WITNESS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S SPEED WAS ABOUT 200 MPH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE ROLLED INVERTED AND CRASHED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE WINGLET WAS NOT INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE TO THE DESIGNER'S PLANS. SPECIFICALLY, THE PLANS CALLED FOR AN 8-PLY FIBERGLASS BUILD-UP ON THE OUTSIDE RADIUS FROM THE LOWER WING TO THE OUTSIDE SURFACE OF THE WINGLET. THIS BUILD-UP WAS NOT INCORPORTED. THE DESIGNER ESTIMATED THAT IT HAD LESS THAN 1/20 OF THE DESIGN STRENGTH. AT HIGH SPEED, WITH ZERO SIDE SLIP, THERE IS AN INWARD AERODYNAMIC (BENDING) LOAD ON THE WINGLET THAT IS EQUIVALENT TO A 15 DEG SIDE SLIP AT LOW SPEED. THIS WINGLET HAD FAILED INWARD. ALSO, A NUMBER OF OTHER DEVIATIONS FROM THE DESIGNERS PLANS WERE NOTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1832
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ABILENE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ABILENE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
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 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 70
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 8
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5DM
NTSB Number FTW82FPD14
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LEARJET
Aircraft Model 23
Aircraft Series Identifier 23
Aircraft Serial Number 23-028
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 5164
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD L. MCCOY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3990 SHADY HILL
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75229
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DONALD L. MCCOY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3990 SHADY HILL
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75229
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DAL
Departure City DALLAS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1756
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABI
Destination City ABILENE
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 7199
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --