Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brackettville, Texas 78832
Wednesday, December 25, 1996 19:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted the northwest facing slope of a ridge at an elevation of 1,950 feet MSL, while configured for cruise flight. This occurred as the noninstrument-rated private pilot was returning home on a night VFR flight over hilly and sparsely populated terrain. Low ceilings prevailed throughout the area. The pilot's instructor stated that the pilot knew the area well, and that he was aware of the rising terrain. The flight instructor recalled that he talked to the pilot on the afternoon of the accident, and after discussing the worsening weather conditions, he encouraged the pilot to stay in Del Rio that night. The pilot was in real estate business. The flight instructor believed the pilot felt pressured to get home that evening, because he had a nine o'clock appointment the next morning in Austin to inspect a property that he had sold. The flaps and landing gear were found in the retracted position. The elevator trim was found in the neutral position. No evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude and/or clearance from terrain, while on a cross-country flight at night. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, the prevailing low ceilings, and mountainous/hilly terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/25/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BRACKETTVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78832
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 12
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID DLF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1082
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 47
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1790
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 27 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30891
NTSB Number FTW97FA073
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 210L
Aircraft Series Identifier 210L
Aircraft Serial Number 21059972
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 28 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 3089
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DON ROBINSON & CARY D. LINDLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1508 S. LAMAR BLVD
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78704
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 DRT
Departure City DEL RIO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AUS
Destination City AUSTIN
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --