Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denton, Texas 76201
Sunday, May 29, 1988 8:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR WAS SIMULATING AN ENGINE-OUT EMERGENCY FOR THE DUAL STUDENT. THE STUDENT WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO AN EMERGENCY FIELD WITH A LINE OF TREES ON THE APPROACH END. WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR BECAME AWARE THAT THEY MIGHT NOT REACH THE FIELD, HE DIRECTED THE STUDENT TO FLY TOWARDS A GAP IN THE TREES FOR MORE CLEARANCE. JUST BEFORE INITIATING A GO-AROUND, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND COLLIDED WITH POWERLINES IN THE GAP. THE FLIGHTCREW HAD NOT CORRECTLY ASSESSED THE LOCATION OF THE TREES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 850
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DENTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76201
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID FTW
Elevation of weather observation facility 710
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1324
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37419
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98088
NTSB Number FTW88LA112
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-26035
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 94
Airframe Hours 7400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS A TWEEDDALE
Aircraft Owner Street Address #43 HIDDEN VALLEY AIRPARK
Aircraft Owner City DENTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TWEEDDALE, THOMAS A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 43 HIDDEN VALLEY AIRPARK
Operator City DENTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76205
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 10:30AM
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 --