Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stephenville, Texas 76401
Wednesday, December 27, 1989 16:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN LANDED IN A SMALL FIELD BY ANOTHER PILOT AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THIS PILOT VOLUNTEERED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE OUT OF THE SMALL FIELD. THE FIELD WAS BETWEEN TWO FENCES. ROUGHLY 900 FEET WAS AVAILABLE AND PART OF IT WAS CLEARED OF TALL WEEDS. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED A FULL POWER, SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF; HOWEVER, THE MAIN GEAR HIT THE TOP WIRE OF A FENCE. THE WIRE BROKE FREE OF THE FENCE AND STRUCK THE FUSELAGE AND RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL IN ROLL, AND STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND, LEFT WING AND LEFT GEAR FIRST.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City STEPHENVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76401
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 12
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Day
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 1348
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39535
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1691N
NTSB Number FTW90LA047
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 8KCAB
Aircraft Series Identifier 8KCAB
Aircraft Serial Number 18-72
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 16 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 1783
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BYRAS, WILLIAM
Aircraft Owner Street Address 433 N. CAMDEN
Aircraft Owner City BEVERLY HILLS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90210
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILKINSON EDWARD J.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 2, BOX 2135
Operator City CHANDLER
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75758
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SEP
Destination City STEPHENVILLE
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --