Mid-Way Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midlothian, Texas 76065
Friday, July 30, 2010 19:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor and student pilot were conducting local area flight training before departing on a night cross-country flight. The airplane was southbound on the south end of the airport when several witnesses observed the airplane flying erratically at low altitude. The witnesses observed that, after several maneuvers, the airplane was in a turn when it suddenly entered an almost vertical spiral into the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. An autopsy of the instructor revealed severe atherosclerosis of the right coronary artery with superimposed fresh-recent thrombus, suggesting an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). The instructor’s most recent application for a second-class medical certificate noted “no” to all under “Medical History” including heart or vascular trouble. There was no indication that the instructor was aware of his heart disease. Such an acute event may have led to incapacitation of the instructor and distracted of the student pilot to the point of a loss of airplane control.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor’s incapacitation due to preexisting but unrecognized coronary disease, and the student pilot’s distraction and inability to recover the airplane from a stall/spin at low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1955
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Midlothian
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76065
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 322622N
Event Location Longitude 0965428W
Event Location Airport Mid-Way Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JWY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 713
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1945 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID JWY
Elevation of weather observation facility 713
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
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) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KJWY 310025Z AUTO 18007KT 10SM 34/18 A2989 R
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30337
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Communications Ce
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2012 9:58PM
User who most recently changed record latt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5027G
NTSB Number CEN10FA448
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 American Champion Aircraft Cor
Aircraft Model 7GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1174-79
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 5 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 2432
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name PETER SETIAN AND CAROL L WALKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City MIDLOTHIAN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75119-2118
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BIG Q AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 131 AIRPORT RD
Operator City MIDLOTHIAN
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76065
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code JWY
Departure City Midlothian
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code JWY
Destination City Midlothian
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 17 2012 9:54PM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 4999
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --