Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Center Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Center, Texas 75935
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 13:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot purchased the airplane on the day of the accident and received only one hour of instruction from the previous owner prior to departing for his home airport. Prior to making his first fuel stop, the pilot received weather information from an airport 44 miles away and knew he would land with a slight crosswind. He had to abort his first two attempts to land due to turbulent and gusty wind conditions. On the third landing attempt, the airplane encountered a gust from the right just as the wheels touched down, and it was pushed toward the left side of the runway. The pilot applied full power and tried to go around, but the airplane continued to veer off the side of the runway toward a ditch. The pilot said he pulled the throttle to idle before the airplane collided with the ditch but forgot to use the hand brake, since he was not used to using a hand brake (versus toe brakes) to slow the airplane. The airplane collided with the ditch and came to rest on its nose. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the inboard section of the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane or engine and said his lack of familiarity with the airplane contributed to the accident. The closest weather facility to the accident site, which was 46 nautical miles northwest, reported wind gusting to 15 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusty, crosswind conditions while landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/23/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1300 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Center |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75935 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 314932N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0940914W |
| Event Location Airport | Center |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | F17 |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 1240 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 308 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GGG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 365 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 46 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.27 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29400 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SWR ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 14 2011 11:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N808F |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA081 |
| 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 | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | FENTON |
| Aircraft Model | DAVIS DA-2A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 100 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1200 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 21 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 730 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert B Flannigan |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ashland |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38603 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Robert B Flannigan |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Ashland |
| Operator State | MS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38603 |
| 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 | AQO |
| Departure City | Llano Municpal |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | F17 |
| Destination City | Center |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2011 1:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | yeal |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |