Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buffalo, Oklahoma
Monday, August 29, 1983 21:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT HIT THE GROUND WHILE TRYING TO STAY VFR UNDER LOW CEILINGS AT NIGHT. THE STUDENT PLT WAS RETURNING FROM A X-COUNTRY, FOR WHICH HE HAD NO BRIEFING ON THE WEATHER, WHEN THE WEATHER BECAME WORSE. THE STUDENT PLT CIRCUMNAVIGATED SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS BUT CONTINUED TO FLY LOWER. HE SAID A DOWNDRAFT FORCED HIM INTO THE GROUND IN A WHEATFIELD. THE ACFT CARTWHEELED AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PLT CRAWLED OVER A MILE FROM THE WRECKAGE WHERE HE WAS FOUND SERIOUSLY INJURED 3 DAYS LATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BUFFALO
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2051 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID GAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 2223
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3034
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23349
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 N9762W
NTSB Number FTW83LA390
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-23246
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Sep 1 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELDRED M. HARMON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 401 COLLEGE
Aircraft Owner City ALVA
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73717
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 Q65
Departure City RATON
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3K1
Destination City ALVA
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --