Bessemer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bessemer, Alabama 35022
Saturday, August 20, 2011 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

At the conclusion of the pilot's second flight in the accident airplane, he landed at the destination airport. During the landing roll, the airplane began to drift to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the drift by applying left rudder, but the airplane continued to the right. He then applied what he thought was the maximum left brake and rudder to counteract the drift, but the airplane continued off the right side of the runway, impacted a taxiway sign, came to rest in a grassy area, and sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot later determined that, due to his large stature, his foot was likely contacting the firewall instead of the rudder pedal, which inhibited him from applying maximum left brake and rudder. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Bessemer
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35022
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331827N
Event Location Longitude 0865520W
Event Location Airport Bessemer Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EKY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 700
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 125
Weather Observation Facility ID EET
Elevation of weather observation facility 586
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
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) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KEET 251553Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 33/17 A29
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) 29323
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 30 2011 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2997G
NTSB Number ERA11CA477
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 PITTS
Aircraft Model SPECIAL
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number BM-01
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1954
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Stephen L. Garrison
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Johnson City
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37604
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Stephen L. Garrison
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Johnson City
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37604
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 No
Departure Airport Code LUL
Departure City Laurel
Departure State MS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EKY
Destination City Bessemer
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 30 2011 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 05
Runway Length 6007
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --