Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albany, Texas 76430
Saturday, June 19, 1999 21:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 4,600-hour private pilot was making a night cross country flight. Witnesses in a vehicle driving northeast bound observed the green navigation light and landing light of the airplane. The airplane was flying parallel to the highway heading northeast, at an estimated altitude of approximately 50 feet agl. The witnesses continued to observe the lights of the airplane after it passed their vehicle, at a distance of about 100 yards off the left side of the road. The witnesses reported that they observed the airplane 'abruptly initiate a near vertical climb' and subsequently observed the lights of the airplane descending toward the ground as if the airplane was 'corkscrewing.' The wreckage of the airplane came to rest 30-feet from the base of a power line that crossed the airplane's flight path. There was no evidence found indicating that the airplane had contacted the power line. No anomalies were found with the engine or airframe that could have prevented normal flight operations. Toxicology was positive for fluoxetine (an anti-depressant).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent stall while performing an evasive maneuver to avoid colliding with powerlines. Factors were the night light condition and the pilot's decision to fly at low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/19/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2150
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ALBANY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76430
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2153 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID ABI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1790
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1844
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N233TK
NTSB Number FTW99FA172
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 KEEN
Aircraft Model GLASAIR I
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASAIR I
Aircraft Serial Number 233K
Certified Max Gross Weight 1700
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 3 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 1037
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM N. RENFROW
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3306 58TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City LUBBOCK
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79413
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SEP
Departure City STEPHENVILLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 2120
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code F82
Destination City LUBBOCK
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 8:55AM
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 --