Midland Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Midland, Texas 79707
Friday, August 9, 1991 13:33 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN A SHALLOW UNCONTROLLED ATTITUDE ABOUT 3.5 MILES FROM ITS INTENDED DESTINATION WHILE HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, DESPITE HAVING RECEIVED VECTORS THROUGH AN ARSA AND A LANDING ADVISORY FROM THE UNICOM. REVIEW OF THE ATC TAPES FROM THE DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL SEGMENTS REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS IN EXTREME PHYSICAL DISTRESS UPON ARRIVAL. ANALYSIS OF THE TAPES AND THE PILOT'S MEDICAL HISTORY BY A PANEL OF FLIGHT SURGEONS INDICATED THAT THE PILOT WAS INCAPACITATED SHORTLY BEFORE IMPACT, PROBABLY DUE TO A MAJOR MEDICAL IMPAIRMENT. THE AUTOPSY REVEALED SEVERAL ARTIFACTS INDICATIVE OF SEVERAL YEARS OF HYPERTENSION AND ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS. HE WAS TAKING MEDICATION FOR THE CONDITIONS, HOWEVER, THE MEDICATIONS, TAKEN IN PARALLEL, COUNTERACTED THE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICINE'S EFFECT. IN ADDITION, HIS TOXICOLOGY SAMPLES REVEALED TWO PAIN MEDICATIONS, NORMALLY PRESCRIBED TO ALLEVIATE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE PRESCRIPTIONS BEING TAKEN FOR THE MEDICAL CONDITIONS, IN QUANTITIES ABOVE THE NORMAL THERAPEUTIC LEVELS. ONE OF THE

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE DUE TO HIS PHYSIOLOGICAL INCAAPACITATION. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT DUE TO THE USAGE OF PAIN MEDICATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/9/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1333
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MIDLAND
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79707
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIDLAND AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MDD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 315
Airport Elevation 2805
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2871
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 2004
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46054
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8144J
NTSB Number FTW91FA144
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8231034
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 7 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 93
Airframe Hours 3808
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVENS OPERATING CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 2408
Aircraft Owner City ROSWELL
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEVENS OPERATING CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 2408
Operator City ROSWELL
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 88201
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 ROW
Departure City ROSWELL
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1124
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
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 11
Runway Length 4380
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --