Bay Minette Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bay Minette, Alabama 36507
Sunday, August 12, 2012 20:45 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot performed seven uneventful full-stop landings; however, during the takeoff that preceded the accident, he felt something abnormal from the tailwheel. During the subsequent landing, the airplane began to drift to the left and could not be controlled with the appropriate brake and rudder inputs. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and the empennage was substantially damaged when it struck a precision approach path indicator light. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the linkage that attached the tailwheel to the rudder was not attached. The airplane had been operated for about 3 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 3 weeks before the accident. In addition, the airplane was converted from a tricycle to tailwheel configuration and had undergone a complete restoration during the previous 2 years. The tailwheel linkage was not located, and its preaccident condition could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The separation of the tailwheel linkage for reasons that could not be determined because the linkage was not located, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2045
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Bay Minette
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36507
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 305213N
Event Location Longitude 0874909W
Event Location Airport Bay Minette
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1R8
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 248
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID BFM
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
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) 31634
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 26 2013 3:39PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9216D
NTSB Number ERA12LA505
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6276
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3110
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Jose Martinez
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Pensacola
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32507
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Jose Martinez
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Pensacola
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32507
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 5R4
Departure City Foley
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2010
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 1R8
Destination City Bay Minette
Destination State AL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 26 2013 3:39PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 79
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --