Pecos Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pecos, Texas 79772
Thursday, October 10, 1985 6:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PVT PLT DEPARTED ON A NIGHT FLT WITH WX REPORTED AS 300 AND 2 IN FOG AND DRIZZLE. ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN SHORTLY THEREAFTER IN A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PLT HAD TOLD A FRIEND THAT AFTER DEPATURE HE WOULD ACQUIRE AND THEN FOLLOW THE LIGHTS ALONG A NEARBY INTERSTATE HWY TO HIS DESTANTION. THE FRIEND, WHO WITNESSED THE DEPARTURE, STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF HE LOST SIGHT OF THE ACFT'S ROTATING BEACON DUE TO THE LOW VISIBILITY. THE PLT HAD A REPUTATION FOR FLYING IN MARGINAL OR WORSE WX AND HAD BEEN VIOLATED FOR THE SAME ON ONE PREVIOUS OCCASION. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS REVEALED DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 650
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PECOS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79772
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PECOS MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PEQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 45
Airport Elevation 2617
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2867
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 82
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2841
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 10 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30686
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N711OW
NTSB Number FTW86FA008
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-901
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4505
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARL L. HARRISON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1000 LEE
Aircraft Owner City BRANSON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65616
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 648
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EO1
Destination City MONAHANS
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 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 6255
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --