Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fulshear, Texas 77441
Saturday, July 29, 1995 9:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PRIOR TO TAKE OFF, A 'NORMAL RUNUP INDICATED [THAT] ALL SYSTEMS [WERE] PERFORMING AS EXPECTED.' PRIOR TO RELEASING THE BRAKES FOR TAKE OFF, BOTH 'ENGINES WERE BROUGHT TO FULL POWER.' AFTER ROTATION THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE GEAR WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS 'SLUGGISH WITH THE GEAR DOWN', AND A SECOND ATTEMPT TO RAISE THE GEAR WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LANDING GEAR 'HIT A FENCE' BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THEN STRUCK A GRAVEL RAILROAD BERM. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT, THE AIRPLANE WAS 'STILL FLYING IN A SLUGGISH MANNER' AND ELECTED TO 'SHUT THE THROTTLES DOWN' AND LAND IN A FIELD WITH TALL VEGETATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKE OFF. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION TOWARD THE MALFUNCTIONING LANDING GEAR, HIS INTENTIONAL SHUTDOWN OF OPERATIONAL ENGINES, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/29/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FULSHEAR
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77441
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 965
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:25PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N135TS
NTSB Number FTW95LA320
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-60-601A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-60-601A
Aircraft Serial Number 61-0135-073
Certified Max Gross Weight 5700
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 19 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 1968
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH A. GAUTREAU
Aircraft Owner Street Address 34 CRESTA DEL SOL
Aircraft Owner City SAN CLEMENTE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92673
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code I30
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRQ
Destination City CARLSBAD
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --