Sky's-The-Limit Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beeville, Texas 78102
Saturday, August 29, 1998 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire after colliding with a television antenna. Witnesses reported that the airplane initially departed the airstrip and made a 'low pass' over a hangar. Approximately 30 minutes later, witnesses heard the pilot make a radio transmission communicating his intentions to land, and then heard a 'loud thud on the roof.' Eye witnesses observed the airplane descend below the roofline of the same hangar over which the 'low pass' had been made. The airplane was next observed climbing over the hangar, and the airplane's 'left wing contacted the base of the television antenna,' which was mounted on the hangar roof. The witnesses added that they saw pieces of the antenna 'flying through the air.' Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical or structural anomalies that would have contributed to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain obstacle clearance during an intentional low altitude maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BEEVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78102
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY'S-THE-LIMIT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
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 1456 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID CRP
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1757
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1946
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8122
NTSB Number FTW98FA377
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 Jodel
Aircraft Model F11-3
Aircraft Series Identifier F11-3
Aircraft Serial Number F-5264
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 796
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS L. NEWMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4918 AVENUE C
Aircraft Owner City CORPUS CHRISTI
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78410
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --