Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arlington, Texas 76017
Thursday, May 12, 1994 21:06 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED WHEN THE PILOT RENTED THE AIRPLANE & TOOK OFF WITH ONE PASSENGER ABOARD. THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR HAD STAYED OPEN BEYOND NORMAL HOURS AFTER THE PILOT CALLED & STATED HE WANTED TO MAKE THE LATE RENTAL. ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE FLYING ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING IN WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, ABOUT 1000 TO 1500 FEET AGL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE ENTER A STEEP RIGHT BANK & DIVE TOWARD THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE ON A HEADING OF WEST. IT DISINTEGRATED DURING IMPACT. IMPACT OCCURRED ABOUT 2.5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD WAS POSITIVE FOR DIPHENHYDRAMINE (AN OVER-THE-COUNTER ANTIHISTAMINE) AT A CONCENTRATION OF 0.3 MG/L (WITHIN A THERAPEUTIC RANGE). DIPHENHYDRAMINE WAS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2106
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ARLINGTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76017
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2051 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID DFW
Elevation of weather observation facility 750
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 828
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:13AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98723
NTSB Number FTW94FA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17276339
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 30 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEBBETTS, JOHN E., JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1106 PLANTATION DRIVE SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City COLLEYVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76034
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COTHRON AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5104 SOUTH COLLINS
Operator City ARLINGTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76018
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2045
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code F54
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --