Aransas County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fulton, Texas 78358
Wednesday, November 4, 1987 11:18 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACFT DEPARTED IN CONDITIONS OF LOW CEILING AND VISIBILITY WITH A STUDENT PLT AND PAX ON BOARD. WITNESSES AT THE ARPT ESTIMATED THE CEILING AS 150 TO 300 FT OVC WITH 1/8 TO 1/4 MILE VIS IN FOG. AFTER LIFT OFF THE ACFT ENTERED THE FOG IN A RT CLIMBING TURN AND REAPPEARED OVER THE RUNWAY HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AT VERY LOW ALTITUDE. WITNESSES ON THE BEACH, ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE ARPT STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS 'POOR AND FOGGY'. THEY OBSERVED THE ACFT IMPACT THE WATER IN A RT BANK AND DISAPPEAR. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENG DRIVEN VACUUM PUMP WAS INOPERATIVE AT THE TIME OF T/O. THE PUMP HAD A SHEARED DRIVE SHAFT THAT EXHIBITED CONSIDERABLE WEAR. IN ADDITION, THE PUMP VANES WERE EXCESSIVELY WORN AND ONE VANE WAS FOUND JAMMED BETWEEN THE ROTOR AND THE CASE. DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE PUMP REVEALED THAT IT HAD BEEN INOPERATIVE FOR SOME TIME PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/4/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1118
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FULTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78358
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ARANSAS COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RKP
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 25
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2539
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 4 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1145
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37200
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3666W
NTSB Number FTW88FA023
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-574
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 4 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 102
Airframe Hours 5423
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BROWN, C.F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1029 SAVAGE LANE
Aircraft Owner City CORPUS CHRISTI
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78407
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name C. F. BROWN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1029 SAVAGE LANE
Operator City CORPUS CHRISTI
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78407
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 RKP
Departure City ROCKPORT
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City FREEPORT
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 26
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --