Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Georgetown, Texas 78626
Thursday, January 5, 1995 19:54 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS TO LAREDO, TEXAS. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE AIR-FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN, RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE NEAR TEMPLE, TEXAS, AND REPORTED LEVEL AT 6000 FEET MSL. LATER, A FAINT 'MAYDAY' CALL WAS HEARD BY A SOUTHWEST AIRLINE PILOT, WHICH WAS REPORTED TO AUSTIN APPROACH CONTROL. APPROACH CONTROL LOST RADAR CONTACT AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIRPLANE. AT ABOUT 0830 THE NEXT MORNING, THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS, WHERE IT HAD IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A VERTICAL DESCENT. NEITHER OF THE PROPELLERS EXHIBITED TWISTING, TIP DAMAGE, OR ROTATIONAL SCARRING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINES DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY ANOMALIES THAT COULD ACCOUNT FOR A LOSS OF POWER. A MEDICAL OFFICER (FOR TRAVIS COUNTY) REPORTED THAT IN HIS OPINION, THE PILOT MAY HAVE SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR UNKNOWN REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/5/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1954
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City GEORGETOWN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78626
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 78
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 6 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8398Y
NTSB Number FTW95FA084
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-30
Aircraft Serial Number 30-1142
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 2 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 8152
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORVELL V. NEITZKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 442 B. SAGEBRUSH
Aircraft Owner City LAREDO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78041
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FSM
Departure City FORT SMITH
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LRD
Destination City LAREDO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --