Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
John Henry Key Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Boerne, Texas 78006
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 10:35 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The commercial pilot lost control of the single-engine homebuilt airplane during takeoff from a private 2,300-foot long turf runway. An FAA safety inspector, who traveled to the accident site, performed an on-scene examination and documentation of the wreckage. Family members and neighbors witnessed the accident sequence. Some witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to have made a normal takeoff. At about 100 to 150 feet above the ground the airplane was observed to have attained a pronounced nose-high attitude, and subsequently rolled abruptly to the left as the airplane assumed a nose-low attitude. The airplane impacted the ground in the inverted position. A post-impact fire consumed most of the airplane. The wreckage of the airplane was recovered to a secured location for further evaluation. Flight control continuity was established to all flight controls. A detailed engine examination of the airframe and the engine failed to reveal any anomalies that could have prevented normal flight operation. The nearest weather recording station was the San Antonio International Airport (KSAT). At 1053 local, KSAT was reporting wind from 180 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute-mile, a broken layer at 2,400 feet, temperature 27 degrees Celsius, dew point 21 degrees Celsius, with an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of Mercury. The density altitude was calculated at 3,126 feet msl.
.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain the best angle of climb speed resulting in an inadvertent stall. A contributing factor was the high density altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/30/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1035 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Boerne |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78006 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 295134N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0984429W |
| Event Location Airport | John Henry Key |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7TA8 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1400 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSAT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22847 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center, FT |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 30 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 30 2008 4:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Antonio, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N39AJ |
| NTSB Number | DFW07LA124 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Adams |
| Aircraft Model | RV-6A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 20065 |
| 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 | Apr 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1222 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John H. Key |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 238 Sisterdale Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Boerne |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78006 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| 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 | 7TA8 |
| Departure City | Boerne |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1035 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KDWH |
| Destination City | Houston |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 13 2007 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |