Riggs Ranch (Pvt) Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ozona, Texas 76943
Thursday, October 24, 1985 12:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED APCHG THE DESTINATION WHILE FLYING UNDER A CLOUD COVER OF APRX 1000 FT AGL. WHEN IT REACHED THE VICINITY OF THE ARPT, THE PLT MADE A TURN & SUBSEQUENTLY ENTERED THE CLOUDS. A WITNESS HEARD WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS VARIATIONS IN ENG POWER. VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE SAW THE ACFT EMERGE FROM THE CLOUDS IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND BEFORE THE PLT RECOVERED FROM THE DIVE. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD ONLY ABOUT 2 HRS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLT TIME WHICH WAS LISTED AS DUAL INSTRUCTION. THE ACFT WAS PARTIALLY DISINTEGRATED DURING THE CRASH WITH SOME PARTS TRAVELING MORE THAN 400 FT FROM THE IMPACT POINT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. A TOXICOLOGY REPORT SHOWED THAT THE PLT'S LIVER FLUID TISSUE HAD AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.122% ALCOHOL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OZONA
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76943
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 RIGGS RANCH (PVT)
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 80
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1149 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID SJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1915
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 58
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2079
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1410
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29477
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N28228
NTSB Number FTW86FA019
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 GULFSTREAM AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5B
Aircraft Serial Number AASB-0950
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 8 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 96
Airframe Hours 2895
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM G. PODOLL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 2 BOX 216
Operator City FREDRICKSBURG
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78624
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 T82
Departure City FREDRICKSBURG
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --