Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Levelland, Texas 79336
Saturday, October 20, 1990 16:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT WAS A SCHEDULED STUDENT SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT. AT THE TIME THE CRASH SITE WAS DISCOVERED BY FARM WORKERS TRANSITING THE AREA, IT WAS FOUND THAT TWO PERSONS WERE ABOARD, THE STUDENT PILOT, AND A RECENTLY CERTIFIED PRIVATE PILOT FROM THE SAME FLIGHT SCHOOL. GROUND SCARRING INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED UPRIGHT, IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, WITH LITTLE FORWARD SPEED. THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD BEEN OBSERVED ON PAST FLIGHTS TO CONDUCT LOW LEVEL FLIGHT AND ACROBATICS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CERTIFIED FOR ACROBATICS AND NEITHER PILOT HAD RECEIVED ACROBATIC TRAINING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT RECOVERY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LEVELLAND
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79336
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1652 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID Q24
Elevation of weather observation facility 3520
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 1.5e+007
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 22
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 28
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) 2011
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45436
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 N2448L
NTSB Number DEN91FA010
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-125
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-125
Aircraft Serial Number 38-79A0706
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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 LEVELLAND AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address LEVELLAND AIRPORT
Operator City LEVELLAND
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79336
Operator Code LVLV
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code Q24
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code Q24
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --