Guntersville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Guntersville, Alabama 35976
Saturday, October 20, 2007 17:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the touchdown, the airplane "didn't seem to respond to control inputs," departed the right side of the runway, and ground looped in the surrounding grass. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the control link spring had separated from the right control arm of the tailwheel. The reason for the separation was not identified. The winds reported around the time of the accident were calm.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Separation of the right tailwheel control link spring from the right control arm of the tailwheel, which resulted in a loss of control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Guntersville
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35976
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342358N
Event Location Longitude 0861613W
Event Location Airport Guntersville Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8A1
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 615
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1700 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID 8A0
Elevation of weather observation facility 1032
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25262
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2009 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record muzd
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1UU
NTSB Number NYC08LA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Blair
Aircraft Model Skybolt
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number N1UU
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Roger Dobbins
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Scottsboro
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35769
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Roger Dobbins
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Scottsboro
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 35769
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
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 --
Departure City UNKOWN
Departure State --
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 8A1
Destination City Guntersville
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2009 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record muzd
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length 3368
Runway Width 95
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --