Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Moscow, Tennessee 38057
Saturday, January 31, 2009 15:25 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed solo from his home airport for a local, personal flight. About 13 minutes later, an eyewitness observed the airplane “vertical going up and nosed over to the right and went straight down…” He heard a “light thud” and realized the airplane had crashed. He reported that the engine “seemed fine, no missing, running strong.” The witness estimated that the pilot was maneuvering at less than 1,000 feet above the ground. The wreckage was found in a nose-low attitude at the edge of a small lake. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure. Propeller signatures were indicative of engine power at impact. The pilot, who was also a captain for a major air cargo operator, had recently acquired the airplane and had logged approximately 13 hours in the aerobatic airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's initiation of a low altitude maneuver followed by an uncontrolled descent into terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1525
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Moscow
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38057
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350600N
Event Location Longitude 0891200W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID OLV
Elevation of weather observation facility 402
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
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) 25568
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 Aug 11 2009 2:44PM
User who most recently changed record guzj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31254
NTSB Number ERA09LA147
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4872
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 1213
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ray K. Davis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Germantown
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38139-5556
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ray K. Davis
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Germantown
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 38139-5556
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 --
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 OLV
Departure City Olive Branch
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1513
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OLV
Destination City Olive Branch
Destination State MS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 15 2009 11:07AM
User who most recently changed record muzd
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --