Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Port Lavaca, Texas 77979
Wednesday, April 17, 1991 14:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE EXECUTED A STEEP LEFT TURN, STALLED, AND DESCENDED NOSE LOW INTO A TREE AND THE GROUND WHILE SEARCHING FOR A PIPE LEAK IN AN OIL FIELD. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED ADEQAUTE FUEL, CONTINUITY AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY FAILED TO UNCOVER ANY DISCREPANCY. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING LOW TO THE GROUND AND SLOWED DOWN TO WATCH. THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE CIRCLE AND GO DOWN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL AT AN ALTITUDE TOO LOW FOR RECOVERY. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LOW PASS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PORT LAVACA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77979
Event Date Year 1991
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1226
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44330
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4695Y
NTSB Number FTW91LA068
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7309019
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ABNER M. USSERY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 396
Aircraft Owner City BLESSING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77419
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ABNER M. USSERY
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 396
Operator City BLESSING
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77419
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 NONE
Departure City EL MATON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
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 --