Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arnett, Oklahoma 73832
Sunday, May 27, 1984 1:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE WX FOR HIS ROUTE OF FLT WAS FORCAST TO REMAIN VFR. EN ROUTE, CEILINGS AT 4000 TO 5000 FT MSL WERE ENCOUNTERED IN THE VICINITY OF HOBART, OK. AS THE FLT CONTINUED THE WX DETERIORATED. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN VFR CONDITIONS, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DESCENDED TO 3200 FT MSL, THEN TO 3000 FT MSL, & CHANGED HIS DESTINATION FROM WOODWARD, OK, TO GAGE, OK. AS THE CEILING LOWERED, THE PLT SLOWED THE ACFT TO 100 TO 120 MPH & CRUISED NEAR AN INDICATED 2500 FT (AT NIGHT). HE THOUGHT HE WAS CRUISING BELOW THE CLOUDS AT 200 TO 300 FT AGL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A WINGS LEVEL, FLAT ATTITUDE AT A REPORTED ELEVATION OF 2473 FT. THE WX REPORTING FACILITIES AT GAGE & HOBART HAD CLOSED AT 2100 & 1800 CDT, RESPECTIVELY. FT SILL, OK, REPORTED IFR CEILINGS OF 700 FT OVERCAST WITH 10 MI VISIBILITY. THERE WAS NO FSS RECORD OF THE PLT UPDATING HIS WX BRIEFING WHILE EN ROUTE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ARNETT
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73832
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 100
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1772
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25651
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 N5852C
NTSB Number FTW84LA250
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model C35
Aircraft Series Identifier C35
Aircraft Serial Number D-2804
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 19 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN H. KNOWLES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4532 TWIN POST
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75234
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 No
Departure Airport Code 60F
Departure City SEYMOUR
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WWR
Destination City WOODWARD
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --