Andrau Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77411
Friday, November 11, 1983 16:46 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLTS OF 4 ACFT BACK TAXIED SOUTH ON RWY 16/34 TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH OF RWY 34. AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RWY, THE 1ST 3 ACFT HAD TURNED OFF ONTO A RUN-UP AREA & THE 1ST PLT HAD TAXIED INTO THE TAKEOFF POSITION WHEN THE 4TH ACFT ARRIVED. WHEN THE 4TH ACFT, PIPER PA-34, N31856, APPROACHED THE TURNOFF POINT, THE PLT APPLIED THE WHEEL BRAKES & DISCOVERED THE LEFT BRAKE TO BE INEFFECTIVE. HE RELEASED THE RIGHT BRAKE & UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO USE DIFFERENTIAL POWER & NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND AVOID A COLLISION. HIS RIGHT WING TIP SCRAPED THE RIGHT WING TIP OF CESSNA 414, N711RT, CAUSING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. AFTER CLEARING THE CESSNA, THE RIGHT WING OF N31856 IMPACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING OF BEECH 95-B55, N25631. N31856 THEN SPUN AROUND & ITS PROPELLERS HIT THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE BEECH'S RIGHT WING & RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR FOR THE LEFT BRAKE WAS EMPTY. AFTER SERVICING, IT OPERATED NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The landing gear normal brake system was inoperative due to inadequate maintenance service of aircraft by other maintenance personnel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1646
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77411
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ANDRAU
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AAP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 80
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3146
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25772
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2002 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft #3

Aircraft Registration Number N31856 N25631 N711RT
NTSB Number FTW84LA056A FTW84LA056B FTW84LA056C
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation Part 91F: Special Flt Ops.
Type of Flight Plan filed None None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial Minor
Aircraft Fire None None None
Aircraft Explosion None None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER BEECH CESSNA
Aircraft Model PA-34-200T 95-B55 414A
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200T 95-B55 414A
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7870269 TC-1523 414A0281
Certified Max Gross Weight 4570 5100 6350
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No No
Flight Crew Seats -- -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- -- --
Passenger Seats -- -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7 6 8
Number of Engines 2 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Annual Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- Sep 1 1983 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- -- --
Airframe Hours 1822 1255 --
ELT Installed Yes Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- -- --
Aircraft Owner Name ANDREW J. HOWARD FINCHER & SON INC. RAINBOW DRILLING CO. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2, BOX 159H 10200 OLD KATY RD. SUITE 200 P.O. BOX 1779
Aircraft Owner City GEORGETOWN HOUSTON KILGORE
Aircraft Owner State TX TX TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78626 77043 75662
Operator is an individual? -- -- No
Operator Name HOWARD AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- -- Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- -- Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- -- Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal Personal Business
Second Pilot on Board No No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0 0 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt -- -- --
Destination Airport Code T04 NEW 4TX6
Destination City GEORGETOWN NEW ORLEANS KILGORE
Destination State TX LA TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi Standing Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? -- -- --
Evacuation occurred -- -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Nov 20 2002 9:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34 34 34
Runway Length 4750 4750 4750
Runway Width 50 50 50
Sight Seeing flight No No No
Air Medical Flight No No No
Medical Flight -- -- --