North American NAVION accident near Denison, Texas, October 20, 1991
On October 20, 1991 at about 8:50 pm local time, a North American NAVION, registered N8560H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denison, Texas (Kidd airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE EXCEEDING OF THE AIRPLANE'S TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY BY THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1991 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Denison, Texas · Kidd · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N8560H · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-612
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO ESTABLISH AN ADEQUATE CLIMB FOLLOWING INITIAL LIFTOFF. IT CLEARED 20 FOOT TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, BUT DID NOT CLEAR A 30 FOOT POWER POLE CROSS BAR AND WIRES. THE TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED IN CALM WINDS FROM A 1,500 FOOT SOD STRIP THAT HAD AN UPHILL SLOPE. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THAT FOR THE CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME, THE AIRPLANE REQUIRED AN 875 FOOT GROUND RUN AND 1,775 FEET TO CLEAR A 50 FOOT OBSTACLE. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE POWER POLE 1800 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PERFORMANCE DATA DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SOD RUNWAY OR THE UPSLOPE. THE PILOT SAID IN HIS REPORT THAT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT AGAIN, HE WOULD NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED THE TAKEOFF UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,040 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,210 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,550 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.