Rockwall Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rockwall, Texas 75087
Thursday, August 11, 2011 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was returning to his home airport and obtained the automated weather information from a nearby airport. The pilot misinterpreted the wind direction, which was from 010 degrees at 9 knots, as 110 degrees at 9 knots. As a result, the pilot landed long on runway 17 with a left quartering tailwind, bounced, and tried to turn onto a taxiway with too much speed. The pilot was unable to slow the airplane down and subsequently went off the end of the runway into a construction zone. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall and left wing spar were substantially damaged. No mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation were noted with the airplane or its systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of control while landing with a tailwind due to his misinterpretation of the wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/2011
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Rockwall
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75087
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 325530N
Event Location Longitude 0962604W
Event Location Airport Rockwall Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F46
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1535 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID HQZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 447
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
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 --
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) 28974
NTSB Notification Source Lone star Retrieval
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 20 2011 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12CA
NTSB Number CEN11CA564
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 35-C33
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CD-1025
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BALLARD MICHAEL K
Aircraft Owner Street Address 602 SORITA CIR
Aircraft Owner City HEATH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75032-8912
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BALLARD MICHAEL K
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 602 SORITA CIR
Operator City HEATH
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 75032-8912
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HYS
Departure City Hays Municipal
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code F46
Destination City Rockwall
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 1 2011 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --