Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Llano, Texas 78643
Wednesday, April 7, 1993 2:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A LOWERING CEILING. HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO LLANO, TEXAS. WHILE TURNING FROM BASE LEG TO FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE DOWNSIDE OF A HILL, ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT SAID VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE PREVAILING VISIBILITY WAS FIVE MILES, IT WAS 'RESTRICTED TO ONE TO TWO MILES IN HAZE AND FOG' IN A 'VERY LIGHT MIST.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS WERE: LOW CEILING, DARK NIGHT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 210
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LLANO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78643
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 Pilot
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 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 275
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52212
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N81527
NTSB Number DEN93LA039
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8016258
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 2393
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STABEL, MAX L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 303 SAN SABA
Aircraft Owner City MENARD
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76859
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STABEL, MAX L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 855
Operator City MENARD
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76859
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TPL
Departure City TEMPLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code T50
Destination City MENARD
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --