# NTSB FTW04CA233: Senior Aero Sport D-260, N89JJ, Mc Kinney, TX, September 3, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 3, 2004, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Mc Kinney, TX - Coordinates: 33.208332, -96.741668 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.2083&lon=-96.7417&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 3, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 60069 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW04CA233 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60069/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04CA233 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to obtain and maintain proper alignment with the runway centerline during the landing roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - proper alignment - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - ditch - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The 827-hour pilot reported that during landing roll on the first 1,000 feet of a 4,305-foot long and 40-foot wide grass/asphalt runway, while transitioning from the grass surface to the asphalt surface, the right main landing gear struck a culvert underneath a taxiway connecting the runway to a parallel taxiway, approximately two feet from the right edge of the runway. ## Factual narrative On September 3, 2004, approximately 0900 central daylight time, a tailwheel equipped Senior Aero Sport D-260 single-engine airplane, N89JJ, registered to and operated by the pilot sustained substantial damage when it impacted a culvert during landing roll on runway 17 at the Aero Country Airport (T31), near Mc Kinney, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Hidden Valley Airpark, near Lake Dallas, Texas, at 0845, and was destined for T31. The 827-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that after landing within the first 1,000 feet of Runway 17 slightly right of runway centerline, the airplane was rolling out onto the asphalt portion of the runway. Subsequently, the right main landing gear struck a culvert off the right side of the edge of the runway, nosed over and came to rest inverted. T31 features a single runway, 4, 005-feet in length, and 40-feet wide, oriented on a heading of 350 and 170 degrees respectively. The first 1,000 feet of Runway 17 is composed of a grass surface and is slightly wider than the remaining 3,005 asphalt surface, which is 40-feet wide. A drainage culvert is installed underneath a taxiway connecting the runway to a parallel taxiway at the start of the asphalt surface. The pilot stated that the wind was variable at 3 knots at the time of the accident. Examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the right main landing gear was separated from the fuselage. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent and the left wing spar was cracked. ## Aircraft - Registration: N89JJ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Senior Aero Sport D-260 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 10 - Airframe hours: 1372 - Engines: Lycoming GO-435-C2 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 6, 2004, 14 hours before - Departed: 5TX0, Lake Dallas, TX - Destination: T31, McKinney, TX - Airport: T31, Aero Country Airport, runway 17, 4,305 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 24, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 827 total, 10 in this make and model, 752 as pilot in command, 58 in the last 90 days, 21 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040903023469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040903023469A), Sep 3, 2004: Amtr D260, Port Isabel, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft registration N89JJ, s/n 10, senior aerosport, landed on runway 17 at T31. While taking near north end of paved runway, ran into a low spot… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.