Reem Air Ltd. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brownsville, Texas 78521
Wednesday, February 22, 1989 17:18 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON AN APPROACH TO LAND TO THE WEST AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. WINDS WERE FROM THE NORTHEAST AT 11 TO 15 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE SETTING SUN 'BLINDED' HIM, ALLOWING HIM TO DRIFT LEFT OF COURSE AND STRIKE A TREE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN ON THE AIRSTRIP AND SOUTH OF THE APPROACH END, COMING TO REST INVERTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS AND MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY. THE WIND CONDITIONS AND THE SUNGLARE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1718
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BROWNSVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78521
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport REEM AIR LTD.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 20
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID BRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 23
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1240
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39489
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3826D
NTSB Number FTW89LA054
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182A
Aircraft Series Identifier 182A
Aircraft Serial Number 34526
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 22 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VEL-TEX TILE MFG CO. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 347
Aircraft Owner City BROWNSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78520
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BRO
Departure City BROWNSVILLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City BROWNSVILLE
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 27
Runway Length 2100
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --