Dalhart Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dalhart, Texas 79022
Tuesady, August 13, 1991 15:28 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A DAY CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE NON-INSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). THE PILOT HAD NOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN; HOWEVER, HE WAS ADVISED ON AT LEAST FIVE OCCASIONS THAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT WERE IMC, MARKED BY LOW CEILINGS, FOG, AND RAIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER A CONTRACT FOR A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY TO CARRY PASSENGERS ON A BUSINESS TRIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCED TO A LOW ALTITUDE DUE TO THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND WAS SEEN FLYING AT ALTITUDES OF 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS. DURING A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED LEFT TO THE INVERTED POSITION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE AND EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1991
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1528
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DALHART
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79022
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 DALHART
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DHT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3989
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 897
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45164
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N887R
NTSB Number FTW91FA147
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model 35-C33
Aircraft Series Identifier 35-C33
Aircraft Serial Number CD-260
Certified Max Gross Weight 3050
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
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 SKY RIDERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner City MC COOK
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKY RIDERS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address UNKNOWN
Operator City MC COOK
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 MCK
Departure City MC COOK
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1117
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVW
Destination City PLAINVIEW
Destination State TX
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 17
Runway Length 6400
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --