Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Kleberg County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kingsville, Texas 78363
Saturday, February 26, 2011 16:35 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot took off to practice aerobatic maneuvers for an upcoming air show. After completing a hammerhead turn, he felt a slight vibration and the pitch control felt unusual. Returning to the airport, the vibration increased. The pilot landed but was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane ground-looped. The right horizontal stabilizer and elevator had separated from the airplane, striking the rudder and causing substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed evidence of a pre-existing crack in the front spar near a riveted fitting. The spar moved outward and disengaged from the fitting. The inboard section rotated downward and separated from the airplane. The remaining portion of the stabilizer pivoted aft, separated from the airplane, and struck and damaged the rudder. A service alert from the airplane’s manufacturer outlined a similar previous occurrence. Another emphasized the importance of properly rigged tail wires, noting that if the tail wires were improperly rigged excessive torque loads could be applied to the horizontal stabilizer front spar, causing the attach fitting to fail. Examination of the last annual inspection entry disclosed no reference to the horizontal stabilizer spar being inspected, nor did it indicate that either service bulletin had been complied with.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A pre-existing crack in the front spar of the right horizontal stabilizer near a riveted fitting, causing it to fail and separate from the airplane in flight. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel comply with existing service bulletins and to detect and repair the damaged spar.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/26/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1635 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Kingsville |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78363 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 273302N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0980131W |
| Event Location Airport | Kleberg County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | IKG |
| 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 | 130 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1656 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | IKG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 130 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KNQI 022156Z 08009KT 10SM FEW012 SCT035 24/11 A300 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29088 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 13 2011 7:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | scoa |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6196L |
| NTSB Number | CEN11LA209 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | GREAT LAKES |
| Aircraft Model | 2T-1A-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0723 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1800 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 6 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 13 |
| Airframe Hours | 1601 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Frederick P. Fiala |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2619 S. Strathford La. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kingwood |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77345-1688 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Frederick P. Fiala |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Kingwood |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77345-1688 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | IKG |
| Departure City | Kingsville |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1620 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | IKG |
| Destination City | Kingsville |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 18 2011 1:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | scoa |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 6000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |