Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midland, Texas 79710
Thursday, July 23, 1992 12:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY CONDUCTED A SERIES OF TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. AFTER THE FOURTH LANDING THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MANEUVERING APPROXIMATELY 60 FT ABOVE THE GROUND ACROSS A SECTION OF A GOLF COURSE. AFTER THE OBSERVED LOW LEVEL MANEUVERS, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN TO GAIN ALTITUDE MOMENTARILY AND BANK TO THE RIGHT AN ESTIMATED 80 DEG AND DESCEND INTO A GROVE OF TREES. DURING THE AUTOPSY THE PATHOLOGIST DETERMINED THAT THE PILOT EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND OF AT LEAST TWO PAST HEART ATTACKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF CONTROL FOR REASONS UNDETERMINED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1250
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MIDLAND
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79710
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 1253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2800
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 5250
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) 2213
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46985
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N84102
NTSB Number FTW92LA187
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 28-8116265
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Jun 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 3663
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WEST TEXAS GAS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 50547
Aircraft Owner City MIDLAND
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WEST TEXAS GAS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 50547
Operator City MIDLAND
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79710
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 MDD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MDD
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 10:35AM
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 --