Vaughan's Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Uncertain, Texas 75661
Friday, October 6, 1989 22:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT TOOK OFF AT NGT FROM A PVT/UNLIGHTED STRIP WITH A PROFESSIONAL (ATP) PLT & THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED OWNER/PLT AT THE CONTROLS. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT ENTERED A SLIGHT LEFT TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT THE TOP OF A TALL PINE TREE, ABOUT 80 FT AGL & 202 FT LEFT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED INTO OTHER TREES AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 450 FT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DETERMINE WHICH PLT WAS ACTUALLY FLYING THE ACFT. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE OWNER HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.041% (41 MG/DL) & A URINE/ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.012% (12 MG/DL). TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PROFESSIONAL PLT'S BLOOD & URINE WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, AND FAILURE OF THE AIRCREW TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND CLEARANCE FROM THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) BESIDE THE RUNWAY. RELATED FACTORS WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS, DARK NIGHT, LACK OF RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS, LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION BY THE PILOT(S), AND TREES BESIDE THE RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2205
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City UNCERTAIN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75661
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VAUGHAN'S
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 320
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 2151 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID SHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 179
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 5
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1869
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40957
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N208W
NTSB Number FTW90FA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 208
Aircraft Series Identifier 208
Aircraft Serial Number 20800115
Certified Max Gross Weight 9000
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 10
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 11 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 84
Airframe Hours 980
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINCHESTER AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR2, P.O. BOX 95BC
Aircraft Owner City UNCERTAIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75661
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2205
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 81J
Destination City DESTIN
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --