Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Van Horn, Texas 79855
Tuesady, December 27, 1994 17:18 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER PASSING THROUGH EL PASO, TEXAS, CLASS C AIRSPACE AT 6,500 FEET MSL, THE PILOT CONTACTED THE FBO AT PECOS, TX, AND REPORTED HE WAS '20 MINUTES OUT' AND REQUESTED THAT THE FBO REMAIN THERE UNTIL HE LANDED BECAUSE HE NEEDED TO PURCHASE FUEL. THE AIRPLANE NEVER ARRIVED. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BY ELT SIGNAL THE NEXT MORNING IN HILLY TERRAIN AT THE 5,700 FOOT LEVEL, 57 MILES WEST OF PECOS. AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, DARKNESS WAS APPROACHING. WEATHER SATELLITE PHOTOGRAPHS REVEALED SOME CLOUD COVER IN THE VICINITY AND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ELEVATION AT THE PECOS AIRPORT WAS 2,617 FEET MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude. Factors were reduced light conditions, clouds, and the pilot's premature descent.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1718
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City VAN HORN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79855
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
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 1750 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 274
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3956
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 92
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 4800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4053
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1953
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 28 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8112P
NTSB Number FTW95FA075
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 3362
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 7 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 4468
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name M.E. GOULD & W.C. INGRAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 201 E. YOUNG ST.
Aircraft Owner City LLANO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78643
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
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 No
Departure Airport Code TUC
Departure City TUCSON
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1458
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PEQ
Destination City PECOS
Destination State TX
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 --