Melbourne Municipal Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Melbourne, Arkansas 72556
Tuesady, May 23, 2006 17:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a 452-mile personal cross-country flight, the 2,800-hour student pilot experienced a problem with the airplane's navigation system and became lost. In order to determine his location and to further examine the navigational system, the pilot selected an airport and elected to land his newly purchased single-engine airplane. During the landing rollout, the pilot lost control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane and the airplane exited the left side of the 4,002-foot long by 75-foot wide asphalt runway. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to egress the cockpit unassisted. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the airplane's flight controls. The pilot reported having accumulated 100 hours in the same make and model. The pilot further reported that the wind at the time of the accident was a "dead crosswind" at 12 knots gusting to 20 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing resulting in a ground loop. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/2006
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1710
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Melbourne
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72556
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 360409N
Event Location Longitude 0914929W
Event Location Airport MELBOURNE MUNICIPAL ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 42A
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 730
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 Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20164
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 23 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31875
NTSB Number DFW06CA138
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 Maule
Aircraft Model MX-7-180B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22008C
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
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 357
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Herbert J Reynolds
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name A. Gregory Babykin Jr.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Gainesville
Operator State GM
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30506
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PLK
Departure City POINT LOOKOUT
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 47A
Destination City CANTON
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 7 2006 3:25PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 4002
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --