Athens Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Athens, Texas 75751
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 8:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After jumpstarting the airplane, the non-certificated pilot elected to take off without the airplane owner's knowledge or permission. A short time later the airplane was found in a wooded area approximately 2 miles northeast of the airport. The airplane's right wing had been separated from the fuselage during the impact. The pilot was later apprehended by law enforcement officers while attempting to retrieve his automobile from the airport. Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later interviewed the pilot at the county jail. When asked what had caused the accident, the pilot responded that he didn't know and that another person had crashed the airplane. A witness at the airport saw the pilot take off shortly before the accident and then called the owner of the aircraft, who contacted police. Although the pilot reported to FAA inspectors that he had accumulated 200-300 total flight hours, it could not be verified.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain control during his unauthorized use of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/2009
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Athens
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75751
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 320950N
Event Location Longitude 0954942W
Event Location Airport Athens Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F44
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 825 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PSN
Elevation of weather observation facility 423
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KPSN 041425Z AUTO 13007KT 10SM SCT034 14/09
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25341
NTSB Notification Source FAA Dallas FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 13 2009 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record gamw
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5470V
NTSB Number CEN09CA186
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E-1712
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 6
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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOOSE RANCH INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1111 EMPIRE CENTRAL PL STE 200
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75247-4305
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Joshua P. Calhoun
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Unknown
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code F44
Departure City Athens
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 825
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Unknown
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 13 2009 10:44AM
User who most recently changed record gamw
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --