Mountain Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Georgia 30528
Monday, May 24, 2004 15:54 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the student pilot, there was a "significant crosswind" at the time of landing. The student pilot stated that he cannot recall any other events prior to or during the accident. The owner of the property where the airplane came to rest stated that on the afternoon of the accident, the winds were gusting from a westerly direction. Witnesses stated that the airplane was landing toward the south, when the airplane bounced on the runway, and the pilot attempted to take-off. As the pilot maneuvered for the climb out, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, collided with 20-foot tall trees 20 feet from the edge of the runway, where it was lodged in a level attitude approximately 12 feet above the ground. The wreckage site was approximately mid-field (1400 feet down the runway), 20 feet left of the runway surface. A post-accident examination of the airplane was unable to be performed. Witnesses stated that the tail assembly was separated from the fuselage and both wings were crushed aft.. The Quicksilver GT-500 is a sport category, experimental aircraft. It has a reported take-off distance of 220 feet and landing distance of 260 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for wind during takeoff. A factor was crosswind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/24/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1554
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Cleveland
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30528
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344500N
Event Location Longitude 0834500W
Event Location Airport Mountain Airpark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0GE5
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 1438
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 198
Weather Observation Facility ID KGVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1278
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16466
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 25 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
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 Atlanta FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5XY
NTSB Number ATL04LA122
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 Quicksilver
Aircraft Model GT-500
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 357
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
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 Kenneth Frank
Aircraft Owner Street Address 320 Society Street
Aircraft Owner City Alpharetta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30022
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Kenneth Franck
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 320 Society Street
Operator City Alpharetta
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30022
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 No
Departure Airport Code GA27
Departure City Cumming
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 0GE5
Destination City Cleveland
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2004 11:21AM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location n/s
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --