- Date
- August 19, 1995, 09:02 local (14:02 UTC)
- Place
- Abilene, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N57527Taylorcraft DCO-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 30, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950819025659A
- Case key
- 19544
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent stall as result of an abrupt maneuver. A factor was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane circled the airport in a loose formation with two other wwii vintage airplanes. The flight of three had completed a low pass over runway 17 as part of an annual fly-in and open house hosted by the airport. According to the pilot, the engine failed to respond when he added power to initiate a climb following the low pass. Witnesses observed the nose of the airplane pitch up to clear wires across the airplane's flight path. The airplane was subsequently observed descending in a nose down attitude into a metal building, coming to rest on the roof. Post accident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that could have prevented normal engine operation.
Factual narrative
On August 19, 1995, at 0902 central daylight time, a Taylorcraft DCO-65, N57527, was substantially damaged following a loss of control while maneuvering near the Elmdale Airpark, in Abilene, Texas. The private pilot and his passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight for which no flight plan was filed.
According to the operator, the pilot lost control of the airplane while circling the airport in a "loose" formation with two other aircraft. The flight of three had completed a low pass over runway 17 as part of the annual fly-in and open house at the airport.
On the enclosed Pilot/Operator report, the pilot states that the engine failed to respond when he added power to initiate a climb following the low pass. He further stated that during his last pass, "while operating at 2/3 power, he heard 5 popping sounds coming from the area of the engine." The pilot added that he had intended to land in an open grass field to the west of the airpark.
Witnesses observed the nose of the airplane pitch up to clear wires across its flight path. The airplane was observed descending in a nose down attitude into an unoccupied metal office building. The airplane came to rest on the roof.
Post accident examination of the powerplants and related systems by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation. A report of his examination is enclosed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57527
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft DCO-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5856
- Engine
- Continental C-90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bill Masters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 6F4
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 353 total · 37 in this make and model · 260 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABI, 3 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.