Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hale Center, Texas 79041
Tuesady, August 20, 1996 14:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll from his 3,000 foot dirt airstrip, he noticed that the airspeed was slower than normal. After dumping a small amount of wheat seed, the airspeed 'became normal' and the airplane climbed to about 75 feet AGL in a shallow left turn. Approximately one mile north of the strip, the airplane over flew a heavily watered milo field, and it began to descend. The pilot stated that he lowered the nose and again 'dumped wheat seed for approximately 750 feet,' but the airplane continued to descend. The pilot reported that 'the airplane stalled approximately 15 feet above the ground' and subsequently impacted the ground. In preparation for the aerial spreading of wheat seed, the hopper was loaded with seed, and the airplane was serviced with about 40 gallons of fuel. During the investigation, a weight and balance calculation was made using figures provided by the operator. The calculation showed that the airplane was 50 pounds over its maximum gross weight limit of 4,400 pounds. Density altitude was calculated to be 5,700 feet.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and failure to obtain and/or maintain adequate airspeed after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush. The overweight condition of the airplane and high density altitude were related factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/20/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | HALE CENTER |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79041 |
| 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 | |
| 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 | 1356 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 20 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LBB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3300 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 180 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4600 |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 5700 |
| 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) | 1138 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 20 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1539 |
| 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 | N57831 |
| NTSB Number | FTW96LA353 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| 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-36-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-36-300 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 36-7760004 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4400 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 19 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 61 |
| Airframe Hours | 4862 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BOYD'S SPRAYING SERVICE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | RT 2 BOX 98 |
| Aircraft Owner City | HALE CENTER |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79401 |
| 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 | BOYG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | Agriculture |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Unknown |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Unknown |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Unknown |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| 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 | -- |