Coolidge Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coolidge, Arizona 85228
Saturday, February 5, 2005 17:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with terrain while the pilot was performing a low pass maneuver over the airport. After departure and upon reaching 100 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot configured the airplane in a 180-degree turn, in an effort to align the flight path parallel to the runway and perform a low pass over the airport. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane in close proximity to the airport surface, he experienced a loss of altitude, resulting in the underside of the right wing and right main landing gear simultaneously impacting the ramp's asphalt. The airplane collided with terrain and skidded several hundred feet. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate altitude from the airport surface when performing an intentional low altitude flyby maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/5/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Coolidge
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85228
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 325609N
Event Location Longitude 1112535W
Event Location Airport Coolidge Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P08
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 1574
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID CGZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1464
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19750
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Feb 6 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2006 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SDL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N109WM
NTSB Number LAX05LA086
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Austin
Aircraft Model Pitts Special
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1973
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5.17
Airframe Hours 1562.54
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William Mayberry
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Paradise Valley
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85253
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Paradise Valley
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85253
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 P08
Departure City Coolidge
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FFZ
Destination City Mesa
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 27 2006 4:07PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 5528
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --