- Date
- September 20, 1998, 18:37 local (23:37 UTC)
- Place
- Amarillo, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1132NFairchild M-62A-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980920025659A
- Case key
- 43973
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 inadvertent stall due to the pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during the takeoff.
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 aircraft stalled after takeoff. The pilot stated that 'after takeoff, the aircraft drifted to the right and the airspeed was low.' He added that he lowered the nose to try and recover but there was 'inadequate altitude.' The aircraft impacted a fence and then the ground.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 1998, at 1837 central daylight time, a Fairchild M-62A-3 military vintage airplane, N1132N, owned and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground following a loss of control on takeoff from the Buffalo Airport near Amarillo, Texas. The instrument rated commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal, local flight.
The 1,635 hour pilot stated in the enclosed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that "after takeoff, the aircraft drifted to the right and the airspeed was low" resulting in a stall. He then tried to recover from the stall by lowering the nose, but there was "inadequate altitude." The aircraft impacted a fence then the ground.
The FAA inspector reported that the right main landing gear was found separated from the aircraft, resulting in structural damage to the landing gear attaching point. Additionally, the wooden propeller was destroyed and the fabric covering the wings was damaged.
The pilot had accumulated a total of five hours in the make and model airplane. Winds at the time of the accident were reported by the pilot as being "no factor."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1132N
- Reported as
- Fairchild M-62A-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- FC-27
- Airframe hours
- 1,458
- Engine
- Ranger 6-440-C5, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Greg Kinnan
- Registered owner
- John A. Webb
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 11, 1997 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 1E7 · Amarillo, TX
- Airport
- 1E7 · Buffalo Airport, runway 19, 5,000 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,635 total · 5 in this make and model · 1,503 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AMA, 13 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.