Big Bend Ranch State Park Apt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Presidio, Texas 79845
Sunday, February 5, 2006 10:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 3,000-hour commercial pilot of a single-engine experimental tail-wheel equipped airplane reported that he lost directional control resulting in a ground loop during the takeoff roll on a 5,500-feet long by 80-feet wide asphalt runway. The winds were reported as light and variable at the time of the accident. The pilot reported having accumulated a total of 20 hours in the same make and model of airplane and stated that the accident could have been prevented by additional flight training. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/5/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Presidio
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79845
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 292806N
Event Location Longitude 1035607W
Event Location Airport Big Bend Ranch State Park Apt
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3TE3
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 4250
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 19647
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM Center
NTSB Notification Date Feb 5 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
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 Lubbock, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N560SC
NTSB Number DFW06CA065
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 Ralph Sanders
Aircraft Model Murphy Acft Elite
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 561
Certified Max Gross Weight 1850
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 100
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ralph S. Sanders
Aircraft Owner Street Address 141 Bridges Farm Rd
Aircraft Owner City Gafney
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29341
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Lyle Koen
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3012 Oakhurst Ave
Operator City Austin
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 78703
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 3ET3
Departure City Presidio
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 21 2006 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 08
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --