Hale County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plainview, Texas 79072
Tuesady, November 12, 1996 23:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot initially requested and was assigned 8,000 feet, and was later issued 10,000 feet as a final altitude assignment for the en route portion of his instrument flight to the Hale County Airport. As the airplane approached the Plainview VOR, the pilot was cleared by ATC for the published VOR approach to runway 04, and he was twice issued the current Lubbock altimeter as 30.42 inches. The airplane, configured with the landing gear extended, touched down on the runway's extended centerline, approximately 3/4 of a mile from the landing threshold for runway 04. Examination of the airplane revealed that the pilot's altimeter was set on 30.67 inches. The minimum descent altitude for the approach was 3,840 feet, and the field elevation was 3,372 feet. The top of the fog was reported at 4,200 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's continued descent below the minimum descent altitude (MDA). Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, the adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/12/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2305
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PLAINVIEW
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79072
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HALE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVW
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 3372
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1028
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 13 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5443
NTSB Number FTW97LA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7405473
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1900 WEST 7TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City PLAINVIEW
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79072
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BILLY D. HARDAGE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7206 OLTON ROAD
Operator City PLAINVIEW
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79072
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FTW
Departure City FORT WORTH
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 2100
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVW
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 4
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --