Globe GC-1B accident near Gatesville, Texas, April 28, 1997
On April 28, 1997 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Globe GC-1B, registered N80737, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gatesville, Texas (Gatesville City-County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadvertent stall. A factor was the pilot's lack of total experience in the make and model of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1997 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gatesville, Texas · Gatesville City-County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Globe GC-1B · all GC-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N80737 · registry record · serial 140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff initial climb, the airplane stalled, the pilot recovered, and the airplane entered a secondary stall, oscillated and hit the ground with the gear retracted. The pilots on board the airplane and witnesses stated that the accident was caused by 'an accelerated stall.' During the maintenance flight check, the private pilot/mechanic planned to familiarize the commercial pilot with the airplane for subsequent maintenance flights. The commercial pilot had flight time in tail wheel aircraft; however, he had never flown this make and model. Prior to the flight, the pilots agreed that the private pilot would be the PIC. The private pilot briefed that the commercial pilot would perform the takeoff roll and once the airplane was airborne then he would take the controls. The flight proceeded as briefed. The private pilot reported having 14 hours total time in this make and model of airplane and that he did not have a current medical certificate.
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: 1,400 hours in all; 31 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1997
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental C-125-2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunset Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 05F at 11:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.