CEN16LA137

NTSB accident investigation · Matthews H Thomas Jodel F11 A · Marathon, TX · March 26, 2016

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 26, 2016, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Marathon, TX
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N3068MMatthews H Thomas Jodel F11 A
Defining event
Approach-VFR go-around: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 12, 2016
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA - Lubbock FSDO
FAA report
20160326002869A
Case key
92933

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to conduct a go-around in a timely manner, which resulted in impact with trees and a powerline.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationMatthews H Thomas JODEL - F11-A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 933 cases
Aircraft capability: climb capabilityAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededMatthews H Thomas JODEL - F11-A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 183 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotMatthews H Thomas JODEL - F11-A: 1 caseAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The airline transport pilot stated that he was landing in the experimental amateur-built airplane at his 1,600-ft-long private runway when he attempted a "late" go-around. The airplane impacted trees, a powerline, and terrain, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

On March 26, 2016, about 1500 central daylight time, an amateur-built Jodel F11-A airplane, N3068M, sustained substantial damage when it struck trees, wires, and terrain, during a go-around from runway 35 at the Los Muertos Airport, Marathon, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, received serious injuries. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Fort Stockton-Pecos County Airport, Fort Stockton, Texas about 1430. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane and that the airplane hit trees and a power line during the attempted go-around. He reported to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that he initiated the go-around late and that the airplane had insufficient climb performance to clear the trees and power line at the departure end of the runway.

Aircraft

Registration
N3068M
Reported as
Matthews H Thomas Jodel F11 A (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
5279
Built
2002
Airframe hours
300
Engine
Continental C-75, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · July 13, 2015
Departed
FST · Fort Stockton, TX
Destination
6TE2 · Marathon, TX
Flight plan
Unknown
Airport
6TE2 · Los Muertos, runway 35, 1,560 × 40 ft, dirt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
68
Injuries
Serious
Certificates
Airline transport, Commercial, Flight engineer
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
13,000 total · 40 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 11 knots, gusting 17
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
77 °F, dew point 12 °F
Altimeter
29.95 inHg
Observed at
E38

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 4, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.