Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pettigrew, Arkansas 72552
Saturday, September 20, 1997 11:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while on a VFR cross country flight, the weather deteriorated to broken to overcast ceilings. The pilot stated that he noticed the vacuum pressure in the instrument pressure gauge dropped below the normal operating range and both gyros started to fail. About 10 minutes later the pressure went to zero resulting in the loss of the artificial horizon, directional gyro and the wing leveler system. The pilot stated that after losing the gyros, he elected to proceed towards the nearest airport (Huntsville), using VOR for navigation. The weather continued to deteriorate and he elected to descend in order to remain VFR. The airplane descended below the minimum reception altitude for the VOR, resulting in the loss of VOR and DME. The pilot elected to execute a precautionary landing in an open pasture. The pilot told the IIC that the field selected looked level from the air; however, during the landing roll he found that the field had a couple of rises in it which minimized the effectiveness of the wheel brakes resulting in the airplane skidding into a fence post.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper in-flight decision. Factors were the prevailing low ceilings, the inaccurate flight and navigation instruments as result of the failure of the engine accessories vacuum pump and the lack of suitable terrain for the pilot to execute the precautionary landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PETTIGREW
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72552
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
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 1253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FYV
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 651
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1435
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7045V
NTSB Number FTW97LA358
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 20-1203
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4600
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN F. JAKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1365 FOREST GLEN
Aircraft Owner City LEWISVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75067
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 52F
Departure City ROANOKE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 810
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3M0
Destination City LAKEVIEW
Destination State AR
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 --