David W. Hooks Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77375
Sunday, March 3, 1985 16:01 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER THE FOURTH TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON RWY 17R POWER WAS APPLIED AND A NORMAL CLIMB INIIATED. AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL POWER WAS REDUCED; THE ENGINE DEVELOPED HEAVY VIBRATIONS AND APRX 50% POWER LOSS. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL FROM THE PRIVATE PLT RECEIVING DUAL INSTRUCTION AND INITIALLY TURNED RIGHT FOLLOWED BY A LEFT DOWNWIND TURN. AT 45-60 DEGREES ANGLE-OF-BANK THE ACFT TURNED APRX 190 DEGREES IN AN EFFORT TO LAND ON RWY 35L. ACCORDING TO THE CFI THE ACFT STALLED AND CONTACTED THE GROUND LEFT WING FIRST. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT CONTINUITY IN THE MIXTURE CONTROL SYSTEM DID NOT EXIST. NO ATTACKING HARDWARE THAT WOULD CONNECT THE MIXTURE LINKAGE TO THE CARBURETOR WAS INSTALLED BY THE OPERATOR 13.8 FLT HOURS AD 35 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WIND AT THE TIME OF THE FORCED LANDING WAS FORM 180 DEGREES AT 18 GUSTING TO 28 KTS. AFTER RE-RIGGING THE MIXTURE CONTROL LINKAGE AND REPAIRING IMPACT ENGINE DAMAGE THE ENGINE WAS SUCCESSFULLY TEST-RUN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1601
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77375
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DAVID W. HOOKS MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DWH
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 150
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1601 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DWH
Elevation of weather observation facility 150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 28
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1750
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29127
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 N29460
NTSB Number FTW85LA134
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700902
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Jan 27 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 3273
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD L. CROUSE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5202 MIDWAY LANE
Aircraft Owner City SPRING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77379
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHAMPION AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 20223 STUEBNER AIRLINE #6
Operator City SPRING
Operator State TX
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1505
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 Maneuvering
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 35
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 110
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --