Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mcgehee Catfish Rest Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Marietta, Oklahoma 73448
Tuesady, June 20, 2006 19:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 289-hour private pilot elected to takeoff from runway 35, a 2,450-foot long, by 55-foot wide grass airstrip that sloped downhill, with a known 15-knot tailwind. The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) that he had previously departed from the same airport a few times during similar weather conditions. The pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 200-hours in the same make and model aircraft, indicated that he configured the airplane for takeoff with 20 degrees of flap since the runway was "a rough grass airstrip." The pilot stated that the takeoff was normal and climb performance was normal until he reached tree-top level. At that time the airspeed dropped to about 40 miles per hour and the aircraft stopped climbing. The pilot added that it became apparent to him at that time that he was not going to clear the trees and began to maneuver around the trees in an attempt to turn the airplane into the wind. The pilot further stated that "we got boxed into a corner and wound up hitting some trees on the northwest side of the field." A large tree trunk impaled the windshield and the airplane came to rest nose-down and in an inverted position. There was no post crash fire. The pilot received serious injuries and his passenger received minor injuries. Both occupants were able to egress from the single-engine airplane through the broken windscreen unassisted. The pilot reported that "he had been taught that on runways with a very steep hill [slope], the pilot should always land uphill and takeoff downhill, regardless of wind direction." Recorded weather at the nearest weather reporting station, located 15 nautical miles to the south of the accident site, were reporting wind from 160 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots, clear skies, and a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. The Investigator-in-Charge calculated the density altitude at 2,928 feet.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper weather evaluation. Contributing factors were the strong tailwind and the high density altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/20/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1900 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Marietta |
| Event State | OKLAHOMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 73448 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 335356N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0971014W |
| Event Location Airport | McGehee Catfish Rest Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | T40 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 7 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 760 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1904 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KGLE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 845 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 22 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 20346 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SW Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 3 2006 2:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8649U |
| NTSB Number | DFW06CA164 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17252551 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 22.25 |
| Airframe Hours | 1962.55 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dale R. Spannagel |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2112 Ridgecliff Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Keller |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76248 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2112 Ridgecliff Dr. |
| Operator City | Keller |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76248 |
| 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 | T40 |
| Departure City | Marietta |
| Departure State | OK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1855 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 52F |
| Destination City | Roanoke |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 13 2006 3:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 2450 |
| Runway Width | 55 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |