FTW85FA244

Factual narrative

A FEW MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE STUDENT PLT FLEW INTO THE GROUND IN AN EFFORT TO RETURN TO THE ARPT ABOUT 1400 FT N OF RWY 18 IN APRX A 15 DEG NOSE DOWN AND 35 DEG LEFT ANGLE OF BANK. THE AFCT SLID ABOUT 80 FT WHEN IT ROTATED ABOUT IT'S RIGHT WING FLIPPING OVER 10 TO 15 FT TALL TREES COMING TO REST INVERTED APRX 110 FT FROM INITIAL IMPACT. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A SOUTHERLY TRACK HEADED TOWARD THE THRESHOLD OF RWY 18, WHICH WAS LIT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT HAD 79 HOURS TOTAL TIME, INCLUDING 3 HOURS NIGHT DUAL IN MARCH AND JUNE OF 1984. AN ACQUAINTANCE OF THE PLT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED HOME FOR THE NEARBY ARPT AT APRX 0500 CDT. SUNRISE WAS 0558 CDT. VFR AT THE NEAREST REPORTING STATION, 35 MILES SE, OCCURRED AT 0822 CDT. A FLASHLIGHT THAT WAS NOT IN THE ACFT ON THE PREVIOUS FLT WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE AND THE LANDING/TAXI LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AT IMPACT. 2/10 HRS ON THE HOBBS METER ELAPSED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12