Wiley Post Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bethany, Oklahoma 73008
Monday, April 2, 1990 22:46 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A NIGHT VFR APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE START A TURN TO BASE LEG AND THEN SPIN INTO THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT AND THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED IN CHESTER, SC ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS PILOT'S LICENSE ON MARCH 24, 1990, HAD FLOWN THE AIRPLANE TO SOUTH CAROLINA ON MARCH 28, 1990, AND WAS ON HIS WAY BACK TO ARIZONA TO VISIT HIS SICK FATHER. THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLYING TIME WAS 106 HOURS, OF WHICH 6.7 HOURS HAD BEEN FLOWN AT NIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT WHEN THE PILOT STALLED AND SPUN THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY WHILE TURNING TO THE BASE LEG. A FACTOR WAS LACK OF NIGHT FLYING TIME.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/2/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2246
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BETHANY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73008
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILEY POST
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PWA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 1299
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2248 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID PWA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1299
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 565
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 2 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41527
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3514X
NTSB Number FTW90DPJ04
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 670052
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Apr 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 121
Airframe Hours 3013
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NICHOLSON ENTERPRISES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 2045
Aircraft Owner City CAMP VERDE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86322
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NICHOLSON, DAVID ROBERT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 1, BOX 1174
Operator City CHESTER
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 3WE
Departure City ST. LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PWA
Destination City OKLAHOMA CITY
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 35
Runway Length 7198
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --