Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Whitharral, Texas 79390
Thursday, July 18, 1991 3:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRPLANE EXHAUSTED FUEL ON BOARD. THE TWO PILOTS WERE WITHOUT VISUAL REFERENCES ON THE DARK NIGHT FORCED LANDING AND THE LANDING LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE. THE INOPERATIVE LANDING LIGHT WAS DETECTED ON THE PREFLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND IN A LEFT ROLL GREATER THAN 90 DEGREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S OPERATION WITH THE KNOWN INOPERATIVE LANDING LIGHT AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WHITHARRAL
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79390
Event Date Year 1991
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 Witness
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 Night/Dark
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) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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 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) 752
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44729
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 N9326T
NTSB Number FTW91FA124
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-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0034
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 STEVEN BERNSTEIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4377 ASHLEY LANE
Aircraft Owner City GRAND PRAIRIE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75031
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVEN BERNSTEIN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4377 ASHLEY LANE
Operator City GRAND PRAIRIE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75031
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LBB
Departure City LUBBOCK
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 2105
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Q24
Destination City LEVELLAND
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 10:30AM
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 --