Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Johnson City, Texas 78636
Thursday, November 13, 1997 21:25 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The aircraft impacted trees while on a night cross country flight from Bryan, Texas to Van Horn, Texas. Houston Center's radar acquired the aircraft as it departed the Coulter Airport. The aircraft proceeded to the southwest and the last radar hit was in the vicinity of Kitty Hill Airport, which is located about 7 miles southwest of Georgetown. The aircraft wreckage was located 30 days after the accident in a remote rural area. Center's radar tracked the VFR target until 40 nautical miles short of the accident site, about 7 miles west northwest of Johnson City. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The 62 year old non-instrument rated private pilot departed on the 435 mile night cross country flight with marginal VFR weather conditions. Ceilings were between 1,300 to 2,100 feet with visibility unrestricted and greater than 6 miles. Astronomical data showed that there was nearly a full moon; however, the aircraft was most likely operating under the ceiling without any illumination from the moon. Examination of the airplane and engine did not disclose any pre-impact structural or mechanical anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance. Factors were the low ceilings, dark night light conditions, and the pilot's lack of visible horizon in the unpopulated area.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/13/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2125 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | JOHNSON CITY |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78636 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| 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 | 2100 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 15 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BMQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1283 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 31 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2100 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| 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) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1675 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 13 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1335 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N20MF |
| NTSB Number | FTW98FA067 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 180 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 30187 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NORMAN R. TILFORD |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 23 FAIRWAY DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | HILLTOP LAKES |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77871 |
| 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 | CFD |
| Departure City | BRYAN |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2000 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | VHN |
| Destination City | VAN HORN |
| 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 | -- |