Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tomball, Texas 77375
Wednesday, August 21, 1991 14:22 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A CFI AND HIS RATED STUDENT WERE DEPARTING THEIR HOME BASE ON A LOCAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING AND AIRCRAFT FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT. AFTER LEVELING AT 1500 FEET, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER. THE CFI TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR AN ENGINE RESTART, WHILE SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE FLEW UNDER POWER LINES, TOUCHED DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, WENT THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE, COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, AND CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN PASTURE. ON SITE INVESTIGATION AND A LIMITED TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE CONFIRMED THAT THE LOSS OF POWER WAS NOT DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THE NATURE OR CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED OR DUPLICATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AT THE PILOT'S DISPOSAL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1422
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TOMBALL
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77375
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
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1506
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45354
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 N3673Q
NTSB Number FTW91LA151
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A23-24
Aircraft Series Identifier A23-24
Aircraft Serial Number MA-264
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN A. ROLF
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12822 E. CYPRESS LOOP PASS
Aircraft Owner City CYPRESS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77429
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HORIZON AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16422 KITZMAN
Operator City TOMBALL
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77375
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DWH
Departure City TOMBALL
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CXO
Destination City CONROE
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --