Bell P39 N6968

Summary

On 18 April 2005 at about 20:30 local time, a Bell P39 registered N6968 was involved in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 April 2005 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fredericksburg, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Gillespie County Airport (T82)

Coordinates

30.2431, -98.9092

Aircraft

Bell P39

Registration

N6968

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Midland → Fredericksburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW05CA107

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the reported partial failure of the left wheel brake.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 5,753-hour commercial pilot lost directional control during the landing roll, and the vintage airplane drifted off of the runway and struck a fence 200-feet beyond the departure end of the runway. During the straight-in approach to the 5,002-feet long by 75- feet wide runway, the pilot noticed that the airplane's airspeed was above the flap extension speed of 140 mph, and "elected to continue with a no-flap landing." A witness at the airport ramp reported that the airplane "appeared to be at an excessive rate of speed" on final approach. He further reported that the observed the nose wheel touched the runway prior to the main wheels. The pilot added that as he applied brakes after landing, the left brake "was not responding normally." Examination of the airplane brake system by the operator did not reveal any anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.