Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Thornton, Texas 76667
Monday, February 18, 1991 10:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS BEING SEVERE BY LOCAL RESIDENTS WITH INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS, HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. WITHIN .25 MILES OF IMPACT TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN VARIOUS DIRECTIONS. HEAVY FOLIAGE WAS ALSO BLOWN OVER IN INCONSISTENT PATTERNS. WITNESSES REPORTED VISIBILITY DOWN TO A FEW HUNDRED METERS IN THE THUNDERSTORMS. THE FLOOD PLANE IN WHICH IMPACT OCCURRED FLOODED AND SUBMERGED THE WRECKAGE. EN ROUTE AND DESTINATION WEATHER WAS FORECAST TO BE VMC, WITH A LARGE CELL OF THUNDERSTORMS NEAR THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. AT 1048 THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE WAS AT 4,000 FEET, HOWEVER, RADAR SHOWED HIM AT 3,000. SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE PILOT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. LAST RADAR CONTACT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH 2,000 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND THE WET MICROBURST. A FACTOR WAS HIS DISREGARD FOR THE FORECAST.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City THORNTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76667
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
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 Unknown
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) 35
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 50
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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) 1215
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44319
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5112K
NTSB Number FTW91FA042
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17273973
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 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 GOLDEN EAGLE AIRCRAFT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2915 JENNIFER, P.O. BOX 9818
Operator City COLLEGE STATION
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77842
Operator Code GEAA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CLL
Departure City COLLEGE STATION
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1005
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2F7
Destination City COMMERCE
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 --