Houston Gulf Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

League City, Texas 77573
Sunday, January 27, 1985 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH ABOUT 75 YARDS SHORT OF RWY 13 DURING A PRACTICE NIGHT FORCED LANDING. THE PVT PLT, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE FBO OPERATOR, HAD TAKEN THE ACFT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND HAD BEEN FLYING FOR APPROX 1.7 HRS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE 18 YR OLD PILOT TOLD POLICE OFFICERS AND THE OPERATOR THAT HE WAS PRACTICING FORCED LANDINGS, DURING WHICH, HE WOULD TURN OFF THE MAGS AND EXECUTE THE FORCED LANDING, TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY. HE REPORTED THAT THE PROP STOPPED TURNING ON A SHORT FINAL APCH AND THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RWY WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE ENG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 30
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City LEAGUE CITY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77573
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOUSTON GULF
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SPX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 22
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2354 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
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 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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 533
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 27 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27818
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82048
NTSB Number FTW85LA102
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8290127
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 26 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 110
Airframe Hours 619
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWEST AIR CENTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2750 FM 1266
Aircraft Owner City LEAGUE CITY
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77573
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SPX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2250
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --