Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baird, Texas 79504
Saturday, September 8, 1990 15:14 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT 1444 THE PILOT REQUESTED A DEVIATION FOR WEATHER. AT 1510 THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED A REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO DESCEND FROM 10,000 TO 6,000 FEET. THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSIONS RECEIVED. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED ON A SOUTHERLY TRACK AT AN AVERAGE AND MAXIMUM RATE OF DESCENT OF 5,137 AND 8,250 FPM RESPECTIVELY. GROUND SPEED AVERAGED 160 MPH. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE ABOUT 20 DEG NOSE LOW. THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA WITH LIGHTNING, HEAVY RAIN, HIGH WINDS, AND CLOUD TOPS TO 45,000 FEET. NUMEROUS BOTTLES OF INSULIN, SYRINGES WITH NEEDLES, AND A DIABETIC TEST KIT WERE FOUND IN THE PILOT'S BAGGAGE. THE COPILOT'S TOXICOLOGY EXAM REVEALED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF PHENOBARBITAL, A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. THE COPILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED. AUTOPSIES OF BOTH PILOTS IDENTIFIED A LACK OF HAND OR FEET INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE FLYING IN SEVERE WEATHER AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1514
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BAIRD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79504
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 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 0
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) 40
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 50
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1776
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43507
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 N169DD
NTSB Number FTW90FA176
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 36
Aircraft Series Identifier 36
Aircraft Serial Number E-2536
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
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 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 LYNN L. DUNHAM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2389 MILITARY HIGHWAY STE 600
Operator City SAN ANTONIO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78231
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SAT
Departure City SAN ANTONIO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1252
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FRD
Destination City FREDERICK
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --