Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Dorado, Arkansas 71730
Friday, January 22, 1993 19:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A SERIES OF PRACTICE VISUAL APPROACHES TO AN AIRFIELD THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE, APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 80 FEET TALL, ON THE THIRD APPROACH APPROXIMATELY A HALF MILE SHORT OF THE LANDING THRESHOLD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE VASI SYSTEM DURING THE APPROACH, IT INDICATED THE LIGHTS IN THE RED. AFTER THE TREE STRIKE THE PILOT REGAINED CONTROL AND CIRCLED TO LAND ON THE OPPOSITE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/22/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City EL DORADO
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71730
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1912 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID ELD
Elevation of weather observation facility 277
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 9
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 22 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2351
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47678
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7676C
NTSB Number FTW93LA073
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7680057
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 5 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 2195
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ACOUSTICS CONSULTANTS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 304 NBC PLAZA
Aircraft Owner City EL DORADO
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 71730
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ACOUSTICS CONSULTANTS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 304 NBC PLAZA
Operator City EL DORADO
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 71730
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 CDH
Departure City CAMDEN
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1842
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ELD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --