Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Campo, Texas 77437
Monday, June 1, 1992 15:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD LANDED AT A CLOSED AIRPORT EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE TOLD WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT THAT THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS AT HIS DESTINATION, AND THAT WAS WHY HE DECIDED TO STOP. HE THEN REBOARDED THE AIRPLANE AND DEPARTED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT ABOUT 100 FEET AGL IN AN AREA ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF THE CLOSED AIRPORT. WITNESSES WHO WERE IN A VAN STATED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DROP BELOW A TREE LINE AND THEN REAPPEAR. AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED PARALLEL TO THE VAN, IT WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A STEEP RIGHT TURN AND THEN NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PILOT'S CERTIFICATE HAD BEEN ISSUED UNDER AN ALIAS WHICH THE DEA AND CUSTOMS SERVICE SAID THE PILOT HAD USED OVER THE YEARS. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGY STUDY INDICATED 0.32 MILLIGRAMS PER LITER OF METHAQUALONE (QUAALUDE) IN HIS LIVER TISSUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EL CAMPO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77437
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID PSX
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2457
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47228
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8230R
NTSB Number FTW92FA145
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 30416
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1800
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KING, JAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 2045
Aircraft Owner City SPRING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77383
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KING, JAY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 2045
Operator City SPRING
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77383
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
Departure City LAREDO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DWH
Destination City TOMBALL
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 10:35AM
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 --