Stratford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stratford, Texas 79084
Monday, May 29, 1989 21:12 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND, THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND AFTER ENCOUNTERING A WIND SHIFT. CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST DURING THE GO-AROUND AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED WINDS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE FROM 160 DEGREES GUSTING TO 50 KNOTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. THE WIND CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2112
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City STRATFORD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79084
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STRATFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q70
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 3660
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID DHT
Elevation of weather observation facility 3989
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 50
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 50
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1549
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2312
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39890
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3279Q
NTSB Number FTW89LA100
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7780302
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 16 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 1167
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SHERMAN IMPLEMENT CO.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 68
Operator City STRATFORD
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79084
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 TUL
Departure City TULSA
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 22
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 32
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --