Mason County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Point Pleasant, West Virginia 25550
Friday, June 27, 2003 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After touching down on the runway, the certified flight instructor (CFI) advanced the throttle and the airplane began to accelerate normally. At approximately 50 miles per hour, the CFI raised the tailwheel, and the airplane began to swerve to the right. The CFI applied left rudder and aileron to correct the swerve, but despite the corrections, the airplane continued its path toward trees located east of the runway. At that point, the CFI decided to reduce the power, and the airplane struck a tree. The CFI did not report any malfunctions with the airframe or engine during the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/27/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Point Pleasant
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25550
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385452N
Event Location Longitude 0820554W
Event Location Airport Mason County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3I2
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 643
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 231
Weather Observation Facility ID HTS
Elevation of weather observation facility 828
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 39
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) 630
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16578
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 28 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2004 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FSDO-09 Charleston, WV

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7570E
NTSB Number NYC03LA140
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Champion
Aircraft Model 7EC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 262
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ronald K. Fraley
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Gallipolis
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45631
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 3I2
Departure City Point Pleasant
Departure State WV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3I2
Destination City Point Pleasant
Destination State WV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 25 2004 10:42AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --