Deridder Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deridder, Louisiana 70634
Friday, December 25, 1992 17:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE FLEW APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS CROSS COUNTRY IN IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN OR CONTACTING ATC. THE BURNING WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A FIELD UNDER THE MISSED APPROACH FLIGHT PATH NEAR THE UNCONTROLLED DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS 500 FEET OVERCAST WITH RESTRICTED VISIBILITY AND RAIN. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND IN THE AIRFRAME, POWERPLANT OR AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. AN INSTRUCTOR, WHO WAS A PART OWNER IN THE AIRPLANE AND HAD GIVEN THE PILOT HIS LAST BFR 30 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT CURRENT FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN IMC. A FACTOR WAS HIS LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/25/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City DERIDDER
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70634
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DERIDDER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DRI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 325
Airport Elevation 204
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID PLK
Elevation of weather observation facility 329
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Light
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 970
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 25 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52253
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6878N
NTSB Number FTW93FA055
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 680153
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 Sep 22 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 97
Airframe Hours 2850
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FATHEREE, THOMAS H.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9347 TEAKWOOD LANE
Aircraft Owner City GARDEN RIDGE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78266
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FATHEREE, THOMAS H.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 9347 TEAKWOOD LANE
Operator City GARDEN RIDGE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78266
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 3R5
Departure City NEW BRAUNFELS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code DRI
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --