Bell Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jasper, Texas 75951
Thursday, April 27, 1989 6:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF PATCHY FOG IN THE AREA. HE SAID HE WAS CLEAR OF THE FOG AND WAS FLYING TOWARD THE AREA OF THE AIRPORT TO SEE IF HE COULD SEE ANY LIGHTS ON THE AIRPORT. HE THOUGHT THE ALTIMETER WAS READING APRX 1300 FT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE HIT PINE TREES & CRASHED. ELEVATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 220 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF HIS ALTITUDE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DAWN AND GROUND FOG IN THE AREA, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 605
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City JASPER
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75951
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BELL FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JAS
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 220
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 253
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2245
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38569
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N201TP
NTSB Number FTW89LA085
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0304
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Sep 2 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 104
Airframe Hours 1780
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STRATTON, WILLIAM A
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29 HIDDEN VALLEY AIRPARK
Aircraft Owner City DENTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STRATTON, WILLIAM A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 4, #29, HIDDEN VALLEY ARPK
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 5TXO
Departure City DENTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 410
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code JAS
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --