Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Pryor Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Decatur, Alabama 35671
Saturday, May 23, 2009 13:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
This report was modified on September 10, 2010.
Both pilots were friends and neighbors who were visiting an airport open house. Prior to returning to their home airport, the pilots discussed if they would be flying home together or separately. The pilot of the RV-8 decided to fly home separately, departed first, and performed some aerobatics near the airport traffic pattern. As the pilot of the CJ-6A prepared to depart, a photographer asked him to make some low passes over the runway, so that the photographer could take pictures. The CJ-6A took off and remained in the left airport traffic pattern. As the CJ-6A turned from base leg to final leg, the pilot of the RV-8 radioed via the common traffic advisory frequency that he was at the CJ-6A's 6 o'clock position, but did not provide distance information. He then radioed that he was at the CJ-6A's 4 o'clock position and again did not provide distance information. The CJ-6A then began a pass over the runway at approximately 200 feet above ground level. During that time, the RV-8 closed on the CJ-6A "dramatically," in excess of 30 knots, from above and behind. About the midpoint of the runway, the pilot of the CJ-6A began a climbing right turn. The RV-8's left wing then hit the CJ-6A, partially separating it. The RV-8 subsequently descended uncontrolled and impacted terrain.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The RV-8 pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the CJ-6A while maneuvering.
This report was modified on September 10, 2010.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/23/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Decatur |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 35671 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | Yes |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 343914N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0865643W |
| Event Location Airport | Pryor Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DCU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 592 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DCU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 592 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 80 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| 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 | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26126 |
| 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 | Sep 10 2010 1:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N875MH | N81817 |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA302A | ERA09LA302B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No | No |
| Damage | Substantial | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HAZELWOOD MICHAEL S | NANCHANG CHINA |
| Aircraft Model | RV-8 | CJ-6A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 81687 | 2851260 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1800 | 3080 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 1 | 1 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael Hazlewood | Billy Kennamore |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cordova | Muscle Shoals |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38018 | 35661 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | Michael Hazlewood | Billy Kennamore |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | Cordova | Muscle Shoals |
| Operator State | TN | AL |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38018 | 35661 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No | 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 | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | DCU | DCU |
| Departure City | Decatur | Decatur |
| Departure State | AL | AL |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1305 | 1310 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 5AL5 | 5AL5 |
| Destination City | Muscle Shoals | Muscle Shoals |
| Destination State | AL | AL |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 10 2010 1:25PM | Sep 10 2010 1:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema | lema |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- | -- |
| Runway Width | -- | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |