Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Celina, Texas 75009
Sunday, July 16, 1989 13:43 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH FROM A 1931 FT GRASS STRIP. THE WIND WAS FROM 080 DEG AT 5 KTS, THE TEMP WAS 93 DEG, & THE DENSITY ALT WAS ABOUT 2925 FT. GRASS ON THE STRIP WAS 4 TO 6 INCHES TALL & WAS WET. THE SOUTH END OF THE STRIP WAS SOFT & WET; THE PLT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF FROM A POINT WITH 1647 FT OF RWY REMAINING. DRCTLY OFF THE DEP END OF THE STRIP WAS A 32 FT STORAGE TANK WITH A 10 FT WIND SOCK ON TOP. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT WAS BANKED TO THE RGT. IT CLEARED A LOWER MAINT BLDG BY A FEW FT, BUT STRUCK PWR LINES (28 & 33 FT AGL), THEN CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT WAS LOADED TO ABOUT 12 LBS BELOW THE 3600 LB MAX ALLOWABLE LIMIT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, 1700 FT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE DRG TAKEOFF FROM A DRY, PAVED RWY. DATA PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER INDCD THAT APRX 2340 FT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO TAKEOFF FROM A SOD RWY WITH 6 INCH, WET GRASS. THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 3/17/87.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. RELATED FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY AREA, THE RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITIONS, AND OBSTRUCTIONS/POWER LINES BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/16/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1343
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CELINA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75009
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 PRIVATE
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 760
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1347 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ADS
Elevation of weather observation facility 643
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 27
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
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) 2925
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) 1527
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 16 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39871
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 N4360K
NTSB Number FTW89FA137
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-301T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-301T
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 Jan 6 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 62
Airframe Hours 488
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLARD GRAIN & FEED, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 2 BOX 41
Aircraft Owner City CELINA
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75009
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLARD GRAIN & FEED, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 2, BOX 41
Operator City CELINA
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75009
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1343
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HOU
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 1
Runway Length 1931
Runway Width 67
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --