South Alabama Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Andalusia, Alabama 36421
Sunday, June 26, 2011 16:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot/owner was returning from a flight in the high-performance amateur-built airplane, which he had flown about 2 hours previously. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared slow and in a nose-high attitude while flying in the airport traffic pattern. The airplane was configured with the landing gear extended and full-flaps when the pilot initiated a turn to the left base leg of the traffic pattern. The airplane subsequently descended uncontrolled, collided with trees, impacted the ground, and was consumed by a postcrash fire. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Evidence suggested that the engine was operating at a high power setting at the time of the impact and, due to the airplaneā€™s slow speed and nose-high attitude, it likely entered an aerodynamic stall as it turned to the base leg of the traffic pattern.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not maintain airspeed while maneuvering on approach for landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/26/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1655
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Andalusia
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36421
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 311807N
Event Location Longitude 0862232W
Event Location Airport South Alabama Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 79J
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 310
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID 79J
Elevation of weather observation facility 310
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
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) 29884
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 Jun 19 2012 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N289DH
NTSB Number ERA11FA360
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CLABAUGH ROBERT R
Aircraft Model BARRACUDA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 289
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 130
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name Douglas Robert Dahl
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Indian Hills
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80454
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Douglas Robert Dahl
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Indian Hills
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80454
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 79J
Departure City Andalusia
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1625
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 79J
Destination City Andalusia
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 17 2012 9:02AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --