Richard B. Russell Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rome, Georgia 30161
Friday, July 21, 2006 19:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot he was to fly over the local area and then return to the airport. The pilot stated that he was to fly three circles over a banner that the family had placed on the tarmac. The pilot said that the airplane was functioning normally at the time of the accident but believed he was too slow and low with an aft center of gravity. A witness confirmed that the airplane was very low, and very slow, at about 100 feet away and 75 feet above ground level as he crossed the tarmac. As the pilot transmitted information about his turns the stall warning horn could be heard in the background. The witness stated that the airplane started to "wobble," and just before it reached the "Big Hangar the nose went up and the entire airplane turned left about 160-degrees, first landing on its left wing and then smashing down on its front."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and subsequent impact with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Rome
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30161
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342112N
Event Location Longitude 0850917W
Event Location Airport Richard B. Russell
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RMG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 644
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 353 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID RMG
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
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) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20702
NTSB Notification Source FAA Com Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 21 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5324R
NTSB Number ATL06CA106
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17252849
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name kent W. Popham
Aircraft Owner Street Address 304 Russell Field Rd. NE unit D
Aircraft Owner City Rome
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30165
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name David Bradley Gilbert
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2720 Wyndham Place Dr.
Operator City Lawrenceville
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30044
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RMG
Departure City Rome
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RMG
Destination City Rome
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2006 2:19PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --