Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Friday, January 6, 1989 21:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT ADVISED DURING WX BRIEFING THAT POSSIBLE IMC COULD BE EXPECTED ALONG FLIGHT ROUTE & THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. DEPARTED WACO AT 2032 CST FOR SAN ANTONIO. AT 2131 PILOT CONTACTED SAN ANTONIO APPROACH CONTROL, PROVIDED WITH LOCAL WX - CEILING 1,000 BROKEN. OFFERED, BUT DENIED, IFR CLEARANCE. AT 2135 PILOT INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS. PILOT REPORTED HIS ALTITUDE AS 1,500 FT MSL. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND IN CRUISE ATTITUDE AT APRX 1,250 FT MSL. PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ATC THROUGHOUT ENTIRE FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2140
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City NEW BRAUNFELS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78130
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2141 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID SAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 809
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 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) 1876
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40964
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1530Z
NTSB Number FTW89FA037
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B33
Aircraft Series Identifier B33
Aircraft Serial Number CD418
Certified Max Gross Weight 3050
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 17 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 5437
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOODWARD CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 10
Aircraft Owner City LUGOFF
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29078
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ACT
Departure City WACO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 2032
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAT
Destination City SAN ANTONIO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --