Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Breckenridge, Texas 76024
Friday, June 10, 1994 8:56 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS FORCED TO RETURN TO HIS HOME BASE AFTER ENCOUNTERING A LOCALIZED AREA OF THICK FOG A FEW MILES AWAY FROM HIS POINT OF DEPARTURE. THE FLAGGERS AT THE FIELD TO BE SPRAYED CONTACTED THE PILOT AND REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER AT THEIR LOCATION HAD CLEARED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AGAIN AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE HIS VFR FLIGHT TO THE FIELD TO BE SPRAYED. THE PILOT REPORTED ON THE RADIO THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE NOT AS GOOD AS HE HAD HOPED AND THAT HE WAS TRYING TO FIND A WAY AROUND THE FOG. VISIBILITY IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTED TO BE AS LOW AS FIVE FEET, AND AS HIGH AS 150 FEET. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT AND THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE ANY RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS WERE THE WEATHER AND THE LACK OF FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 856
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BRECKENRIDGE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76024
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 523
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1005
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4492Y
NTSB Number FTW94FA191
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-25-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-25-235
Aircraft Serial Number 25-4055
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 5352
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARAWAY AG-TUTTLE SPRAYING CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 290
Aircraft Owner City BRECKENRIDGE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76024
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code TSCG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 848
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BKD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --