Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mexico, Missouri 65265
Saturday, April 9, 2005 9:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted a road embankment during an aborted takeoff. The pilot reported that before he boarded the airplane the winds were "200 degrees at 10 [knots]." The private airstrip consisted of a grass/turf, 1,300 foot long, north/south runway. The pilot stated that his intention was to depart from runway 18, but "because of distraction or whatever" he taxied to runway 36 and initiated the takeoff. The pilot reported, "I knew that I should be airborne or feeling very light by the time that I got to a bump about [halfway] down the runway from either direction. When I got to the bump without the tail coming up and with an indicated airspeed of about 35 mph I knew that something was seriously wrong and knew instantly what the problem was. I was taking-off with the wind." The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff by reducing engine power to idle and braking. The pilot stated that the grass runway was wet with dew and the aircraft overran the end of the runway, impacting a road embankment.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot inadvertently using the wrong runway for takeoff, which resulted in a tailwind condition. Factors to the accident were the tailwind, the aborted takeoff, the wet grass runway, and the road embankment.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Mexico
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65265
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390927N
Event Location Longitude 0914906W
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation 920
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID COU
Elevation of weather observation facility 889
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.92
Density Altitude (feet) 1338
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) 17908
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1212
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - St. Louis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11177
NTSB Number CHI05CA096
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 Champion
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7ECA-93
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Apr 12 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 6912
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James Francis Raleigh
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18926 Highway HH
Aircraft Owner City Mexico
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65265
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 --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City Mexico
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Mexico
Destination State MO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 9 2005 3:33PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 1320
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --