Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Lake, Texas 76932
Monday, August 9, 1993 12:17 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PIPELINE PATROL AIRPLANE IN THE NORMAL CRUISE CONFIGURATION IMPACTED THE DESERT FLOOR IN A 20 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET WEST OF THE PIPELINE BEING PATROLLED. A POST IMPACT FIRE ORIGINATING IN THE REAR OF THE CABIN DESTROYED THE COCKPIT AND CABIN AREA. A LOCALLY MANUFACTURED 36-GALLON AUXILIARY FUEL TANK, WHICH HAD BEEN BOLTED TO THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT FLOOR, WAS FOUND 69 FEET FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE POWERPLANT, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR AIRFRAME.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1217
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BIG LAKE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76932
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID SJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1916
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 62
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) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5200
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) 1059
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 25 2006 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5672Q
NTSB Number FTW93FA235
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 3158
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 5916
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELKIN, MACK L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2004 QUAIL RIDGE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ANDREWS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79714
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code E13
Departure City CRANE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code E11
Destination City ANDREWS
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 --