Woodcreek Resort Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wimberley, Texas 78676
Sunday, August 11, 1996 12:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot's flight instructor had signed him off to fly multiple cross-country flights to 5 different airports. The instructor had placed limitations on the pilot flying into and out of Woodcreek Resort Airstrip, where the pilot resided, for the airplane to be at one-half fuel or less, and for temperatures to be less than 85 degrees. Thirty minutes of flight time before the accident, the pilot had his fuel tanks topped-off. The temperature at the time of the accident was 102 degrees F. The pilot flew a pass over the runway to 'make sure it was clear for landing.' A witness reported that the estimated 6 knot wind changed direction approximately 180 degrees between the time of the pilot's first and second approach. A witness, who was 300 feet off the end the runway, reported that on the second approach 'he just barely made the trees over the creek and banked hard left.' Another witness reported seeing the aircraft 'in a steep bank to the left and then dive downward.' The aircraft impacted on the backside of the 18th green of a golf course and came to rest in a sand trap.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed. Factors were the high density altitude, the tail wind, and the pilot's failure to adhere to the limitations prescribed by his flight instructor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/11/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WIMBERLEY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78676
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WOODCREEK RESORT AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4XS7
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 959
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 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 39
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4200
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) 1227
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1552
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:17AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2382Z
NTSB Number FTW96FA339
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 23
Aircraft Series Identifier 23
Aircraft Serial Number M-93
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLIFFORD G. CHRISTENSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6 DOOLITTLE DR.
Aircraft Owner City WIMBERLEY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78676
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 5OR
Departure City LOCKHART
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4XS7
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 14
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --