Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Curtis Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Brady, Texas 76825
Friday, September 29, 1995 22:38 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a dark night visual approach to an unlighted airport, the airplane collided with a 50-foot tall pole, which was part of the antenna for a nondirectional radio beacon (NDB). The FAA aeronautical study for the installation of the NDB determined that the antenna was not a hazard to air navigation and did not require obstruction lighting. Airport personnel reported the runway lights and rotating beacon had been turned off to close the airport to night operations the night of 9/29; however, a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was not filed. Prior to initiating the flight, the pilot received a weather briefing during which he specifically requested NOTAMs on the airport and was informed that none were on file. Witnesses observed the airplane circle the airport 'two or three times' before entering a descent 'like it was going to land.' Toxicological testing detected doxylamine (Unisom), which is not approved for use while flying, in the pilot's urine. Dextromethorphan (an expectorant), pseudoephedrine and phenlypropanolamine (decongestants) were detected in the pilot's blood and urine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper decision to attempt a night landing without the visual cues necessary to establish runway alignment. Factors were the dark night light condition, the inoperative runway edge lights, and the failure of airport management to issue a NOTAM that the airport was closed to night operations.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/29/1995 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2238 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | BRADY |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76825 |
| Event Date Year | 1995 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | CURTIS FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BBD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1827 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| 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 | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 15 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| 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) | 1926 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 30 1995 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 10 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2000 4:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N836AA |
| NTSB Number | FTW95FA407 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A36 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | E-1187 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 21 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 54 |
| Airframe Hours | 6359 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ABILENE AERO, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2850 AIRPORT BOULEVARD |
| Aircraft Owner City | ABILENE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79602 |
| 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 | GSTA |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BWD |
| Departure City | BROWNWOOD |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2218 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | BBD |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| 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 | 17 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |