Edwards Ranch Prvt Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Spring, Texas 79721
Saturday, February 20, 1988 14:25 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT PRACTICING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. WITNESSES THOUGHT THE PILOT WAS ENTERING THE PATTERN FOR LANDING AT THE COMPLETION OF THE AEROBATIC PRACTICE. THEY NOTED A POWER REDUCTION AFTER WHICH THE AIRCRAFT ASSUMED AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREES NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE THAT CONTINUED UNTIL IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. POST MORTEM STUDIES SHOWED MARKED ATHEROSCLEROTIC CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, WITH SIGNIFICANT THREE VESSEL CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. BOTH THE PATHOLOGIST AND THE PARTICIPATING FAA ASSISTANT REGIONAL FLIGHT SURGEON CONSIDERED THAT THE PILOT PROBABLY HAD A SUDDEN SEVERE INFLIGHT INCAPACITATION IN THIS INSTANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/20/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BIG SPRING
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79721
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EDWARDS RANCH PRVT STRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2505
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1130 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2871
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
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) 509
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36329
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N29779
NTSB Number FTW88FA069
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BC12-D
Aircraft Series Identifier BC12-D
Aircraft Serial Number 2627
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 30 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 2493
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD HART
Aircraft Owner Street Address 502 WASHINGTON BLVD
Aircraft Owner City BIG SPRING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79720
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EDWARD HART
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 502 WASHINGTON BLVD.
Operator City BIG SPRING
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79720
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1355
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 19
Runway Length 520
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --