Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houma, Louisiana 70360
Tuesady, July 4, 1989 12:54 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT RECEIVED TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS AND VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED BUT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. ENROUTE THE PILOT INFORMED ATC HE WAS DESCENDING FROM 11,500 FEET TO 9,500 FEET. ATC NOTICED A MODE C TRANSPONDER READOUT AT 7,500 FEET, AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE PILOT BUT THE PILOT DID NOT RESPOND. WINESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE IN A STEEP DIVE BUT NONE SAW THE GROUND IMPACT. PARTS OF THE RIGHT WING WERE FOUND AS FAR AWAY AS ONE HALF MILE. RECOVERY OF THE ENGINE WAS AT A DEPTH OF AT LEAST 25 FEET. THE ROTOR OF THE ATTITUDE GYRO HAD ROTATIONAL DAMAGE MARKS. NO AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED AND TOXICOLOGY REPORT WAS NOT SIGNIFICANT. PILOT'S WIFE INDICATED PILOT HAD BEEN PRESCRIBED 'VASOTIC' MEDICINE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INCAPACITATION OF THE 70 YEAR OLD PILOT, WHICH LED TO THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1254
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUMA
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 70360
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID HUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 780
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40281
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5489W
NTSB Number FTW89FA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model P210N
Aircraft Series Identifier P210N
Aircraft Serial Number P21000697
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 Aug 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 1203
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTENSEN, J.W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4948 KLUSMAN
Aircraft Owner City ALTA LOMA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97701
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name J. W. CHRISTENSEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4948 KLUSMAN
Operator City ALTA LOMA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91701
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 HOU
Departure City HOUSTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MOB
Destination City MOBILE
Destination State AL
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --