NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW91LA022
Registry · N61080
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
TAYLORCRAFT DC-65
Year of manufacture
1953 · 37 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560614
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A7F247
Registrant of record
PITMAN BILLIE L
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CLIMB OVER OBSTACLES DUE TO ENCOUNTERING A DOWNDRAFT WHICH EXCEEDED THE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND THE DOWNDRAFT.
Factual narrative
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM RUNWAY 22, THE PILOT ENTERED A CLIMBING LEFT TURN AND ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS AND A DOWNDRAFT AS HE CLEARED THE TREES THAT SURROUNDED THE SOD STRIP. HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE DESCENT PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR STRIKING TREES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND THE GROUND. LOCAL WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 220 DEGREES AT 15 GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE STRIP WAS SURROUNDED BY TREES AND LOW HILLS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_FTW91LA022.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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