Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77061
Friday, December 6, 1985 19:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ACFT HAD EXTRA FUEL CANS ON BOARD AND HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ALMOST 12 HOURS IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID CAPTURE BY U.S. AGENTS FOR THE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA. THE ACFT CONTAINED 750 LBS OF MARIJUANA OBTAINED IN BELIZE,CENTRAL AMERICA. WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF PURSUIT BY OTHER ACFT THE PLT REDUCED FUEL CONSUMPTION SO THAT A LANDING COULD BE MADE AFTER DARK. WHEN HE FAILED TO ELUDE HIS PURSUERS THE PLT FLEW UNTIL FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE PLT IS NOW IN CUSTODY OF U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/6/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77061
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1946 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2141
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1920
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29549
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 N72WF
NTSB Number FTW86FRA02
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 T210N
Aircraft Series Identifier T210N
Aircraft Serial Number 21063357
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City BELIZE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City UNKNOWN
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 3 2001 9:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --