Cotulla Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cotulla, Texas 78014
Sunday, October 27, 1991 20:10 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A DARK NIGHT FROM RWY 13, WHICH HAD FEW VISUAL REFERENCES OFF THE DEP END. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER CLIMBING TO ABOUT 800 TO 1000 FT, THERE WAS A LOSS OF INSTRUMENT LIGHTING FOR THE HSI, ATTITUDE INDCR, ALTIMETER & VERTICAL SPEED INDCR. THE PSGR (HIS WIFE) HELD A FLASHLIGHT IN AN ATTEMPT TO ILLUMINATE THE EFFECTED INSTRUMENTS. HE ENGAGED THE HEADING HOLD (2 TIMES) & THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP DSCNDG LEFT TURN. REALIZING THE ACFT HAD ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT, HE PULLED THE YOKE AFT, BUT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED, BUT THE PSGR NOTIFIED THE ARPT MANAGER OF THE ACDNT & A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. DRG THE INVESTIGATION, NO DISCREPANCY WITH THE AUTOPLT WAS VERIFIED, BUT A SHORT WAS FOUND AT A SPLICE IN THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTING SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, AND A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS AND A MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOPILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2010
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City COTULLA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78014
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COTULLA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID COT
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID COT
Elevation of weather observation facility 471
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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) 1520
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 27 1991 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2142
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45369
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 N6307Y
NTSB Number FTW92FA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 84-30991
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAZE, ROY H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1509 SOUTH GORDON
Operator City ALVIN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77511
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code COT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2000
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code AXH
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
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 --