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Atlas / NTSB / DFW07CA013

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event DFW07CA013

2006-10-12 Fredricksburg, Texas, United States Airport · T82 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N36687

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

AERONCA 65-TAC

Year of manufacture

1941 · 65 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19600519

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A42626

Registrant of record

ABERLE JERRY L

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to compensate for the existing wind conditions. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.

Factual narrative

The 1,019-hour private pilot lost control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane after encountering a wind shift while landing on runway 14. The pilot reported that after checking the automated weather service station and windsock at the arrival airport, he attempted to land the single-engine airplane with a prevailing right crosswind on the dry 5,002-foot long asphalt runway. The pilot reported holding the proper control inputs to correct for the crosswind and suddenly encountering a wind shift from the left. The pilot indicated in the accident report (NTSB Form 6120.1), that after the main wheels touched down, the left wing lifted and the nose of the airplane turned left into the wind. The airplane then exited the left side of the 75-foot wide runway and initiated a ground loop on the wet grass adjacent to the runway. The fuselage of the airplane sustained structural damage and the pilot and passenger were not injured. The automated weather observation station on the field reported scattered skies with 10 miles visibility, with winds from 270 degrees at 6 knots. The 1,019-hour private pilot lost control of the tailwheel-equipped airplane after encountering a wind shift while landing on runway 14. The pilot reported that after checking the automated weather service station and windsock at the arrival airport, he attempted to land the single-engine airplane with a prevailing right crosswind on the dry 5,002-foot long asphalt runway. The pilot reported holding the control inputs to correct for the crosswind and suddenly encountering a wind shift from the left. The pilot indicated in the accident report (NTSB Form 6120.1), that after the main wheels touched down, the left wing lifted and the nose of the airplane turned left into the wind. The airplane then exited the left side of the 75-foot wide runway and initiated a ground loop on the wet grass adjacent to the runway. The fuselage of the airplane sustained structural damage and the pilot and passenger were not injured. The automated weather observation station on the field reported scattered skies with 10 miles visibility, with winds from 270 degrees at 6 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2006_DFW07CA013.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.