Arlington Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arlington, Texas 76010
Thursday, November 23, 1989 22:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE INTO THE EDGE OF A POND ABOUT 1/2 MILE SOUTH AND 1/4 MILE WEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 16. DARK NIGHT VMC PREVAILED. THE PILOT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED; HE HAD LOGGED 54 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT TIME, BUT NO ACTUAL WEATHER TIME. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUND IN THE AUXILIARY TANK POSITION. CHORD WISE WITNESS MARKS WERE NOT EVIDENT ON ANY OF THE PROPELLER BLADES, WHICH IMPACTED IN MUD AND SHALLOW WATER. BOTH ENGINES WERE FUNCTIONALLY TESTED IN A TEST CELL AND THEY OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ARLINGTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76010
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ARLINGTON MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F54
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 200
Airport Elevation 630
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2401
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43644
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1026W
NTSB Number FTW90FA032
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model 95-B55
Aircraft Series Identifier 95-B55
Aircraft Serial Number TC-1532
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HEDCO, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3623 HYDE PARK
Operator City MIDLAND
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79703
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code F54
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2229
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MDD
Destination City MIDLAND
Destination State TX
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 16
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --