Amateur-built Murphy Acft Elite accident near Presidio, Texas, February 5, 2006
On February 5, 2006 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Murphy Acft Elite, registered N560SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Presidio, Texas (Big Bend Ranch State Park Apt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2006 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Presidio, Texas · Big Bend Ranch State Park Apt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Murphy Acft Elite
- Registration
- N560SC · registry record · serial 561
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 3,000-hour commercial pilot of a single-engine experimental tail-wheel equipped airplane reported that he lost directional control resulting in a ground loop during the takeoff roll on a 5,500-feet long by 80-feet wide asphalt runway. The winds were reported as light and variable at the time of the accident. The pilot reported having accumulated a total of 20 hours in the same make and model of airplane and stated that the accident could have been prevented by additional flight training. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 1, 2005; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3ET3 Presidio TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 5,500 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.