Ranger Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ranger, Texas 76470
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 13:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot, who owned the airplane, and the pilot-rated passenger, who was a prospective airplane buyer, departed for a local flight. A witness observed the airplane stall shortly after takeoff, and the airplane descended into a tree and then the ground. A postimpact fire ensued. An examination of the airframe, engine, and related systems revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The density altitude was calculated to be 3,921 feet, and the accident site elevation was 1,473 feet mean sea level. It was not possible to determine what effect the medications that were detected in the student pilot’s system (which ranged from over-the-counter cold/hay fever medications to anticonvulsants and anti-inflammatory agents) may have had on his performance if he was flying the airplane. Regardless of which pilot was operating the airplane at the time of the accident, it is likely that the airplane stalled as a result of reduced airspeed and climb performance while operating at a high density altitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the initial climb after a takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/22/2011
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Ranger
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76470
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 322709N
Event Location Longitude 0984058W
Event Location Airport Ranger Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F23
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1470
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1335 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID KBKD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1284
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31223
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2013 3:38PM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6524R
NTSB Number CEN11LA421
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ULTRALIGHT AMERICA
Aircraft Model SPITFIRE II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 00180100JT
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Richard A Reeb
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ranger
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76470-2902
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Richard A Reeb
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Ranger
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76470-2902
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code F23
Departure City Ranger
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1340
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code F23
Destination City Ranger
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2013 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 2730
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --