Convair BT-13A N66791

Summary

On 14 May 2001 at about 18:55 local time, a Convair BT-13A registered N66791, operated by Confederate Air Force, was involved in an accident near Odessa, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 May 2001 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Odessa, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Bates Field Airport (71TA)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Convair BT-13A

Registration

N66791

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Confederate Air Force

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Midland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW01FA117

2 people died.

the pilot's failure to maintain the minimum required airspeed for flight, which resulted in a loss of control while performing a go-around. A contributing factor to the accident was the gusty tailwind condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was undergoing his 7th hour of dual familiarization training in the airplane. The airplane approached the airport from the east, over flew the south end of the airport, and then executed a left teardrop turn to runway 34. According to witnesses at the airport, the airplane was on final approach to runway 34, approximately 150 feet agl, when they heard power applied to the engine. Subsequently, the right wing dropped, the airplane impacted the ground, contacted a steel pole, and came to a stop upright. The witness accounts and ground scars are consistent with the airplane encountering a stall. One witness, who was located on the airport, reported that at the time of the accident the wind was from the south at 10 mph. Two minutes prior to the accident, two weather observation facilities that are located 7 miles northeast and 9 miles northwest of the accident site, reported wind from 200 degrees at 13 knots and gusting to 20 knots and wind from 210 degrees at 11 knots and gusting to 19 knots, respectively. The airframe and engine were examined and no pre-impact anomalies were noted that would have precluded their operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.