Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kerrville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kerrville, Texas 78028
Saturday, April 25, 1998 23:50 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated private pilot lost control of the twin engine airplane while attempting to divert to an airport with a lighted runway in dark night conditions with overcast skies and mist. During a weather briefing 4 hours before departure, the pilot was briefed on weather deteriorating near midnight and that runway 12/30 was closed at the destination airport. Upon arrival at the destination, the pilot made several attempts to activate runway lights for runway 20 before he inquired and was informed by the controller that runway 20 did not have runway lights. The pilot requested a diversion to the closest airport with runway lights and at least a 3,500 foot runway. The pilot was given a heading to an airport 18 miles away. This was the last transmission acknowledged by the pilot. The airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose down attitude. Examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal evidence of any structural or mechanical anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The non-instrument rated pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation. Factors were the dark night conditions, overcast skies, and the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/25/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 2350 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | KERRVILLE |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78028 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | KERRVILLE MUNICIPAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ERV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 7 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 4 |
| Airport Elevation | 1617 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Partial - limited by pilot |
| 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 | 1700 |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 30 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1321 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 26 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 130 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 11:07AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N60UU |
| NTSB Number | FTW98FA192 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | BE-58 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BE-58 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | TH-88 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5400 |
| 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 | Oct 30 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DALE E. HARRINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2433 NOTTINGHAM PLACE |
| Aircraft Owner City | GRAND PRAIRIE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75050 |
| 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 | GPM |
| Departure City | GRAND PRAIRE |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 2225 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | ERV |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| 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 | 20 |
| Runway Length | 4050 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |