Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jackson, Mississippi 39209
Saturday, July 29, 2006 9:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 1,300-hour instrument rated private pilot lost control of the tailwheel-equipped vintage airplane while landing to the southeast at his privately owned grass airstrip. The pilot reported that the single engine biplane swerved to the right during the takeoff roll and the airplane began turning to the left after the airplane became airborne. The pilot continued his climb until the airplane cleared the trees on the north side of the airstrip and allowed the airplane to continued the left turn until he was back over the runway. The pilot stated on the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB form 6120.1) that while on short final to land, "the nose fell, I tried to add power but the engine hesitated and the airplane impacted the ground." The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, examined the airplane and found the main landing gear collapsed, as well as fire damage to the upper wing. The inspector was also able to establish flight control continuity. The examination also determined that during the impact sequence, an external engine oil line separated and oil was sprayed on the hot exhaust stack that initiated the post impact fire. The pilot reported that at the time of the mishap, the winds were variable at 2 knots. The winds at the nearest weather reporting facility, located 20 miles southeast of the accident site, were reporting the wind from 240 degrees at 3 knots at the time of the mishap.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on final approach resulting in an inadvertent stall and a subsequent loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/2006
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Jackson
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39209
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 322706N
Event Location Longitude 0902150W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID KHKS
Elevation of weather observation facility 342
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
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) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report 291453Z 24003KT 9SM CLR 27/23 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP207
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20625
NTSB Notification Source Atlanta ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 29 2006 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Jackson, MS

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6106
NTSB Number DFW06CA194
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 Curtiss-Wright
Aircraft Model Travel Air 4000
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 604
Certified Max Gross Weight 2702
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 1300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John E. Mosley
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1833 Carsley Rd
Aircraft Owner City Jackson
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39209
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1833 Carsley Rd
Operator City Jackson
Operator State MS
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 39209
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 --
Departure City Jackson
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Jackson
Destination State MS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 6 2006 3:07PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --