Jim Hogg County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hebbronville, Texas 78361
Friday, December 2, 1983 18:36 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT UNTIL THE PLT CONTACTED HOUSTON ARTCC. THE PLT REQUESTED THE DESTINATION WX & WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE AREA WAS IFR. THE CLOSEST ARPT REPORTING VFR CONDITIONS WAS AT MCALLEN, TX, APRX 80 MI SOUTHEAST. THE PLT THEN ADVISED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO REACH MCALLEN. AT 1828 CST, HE ADVISED THAT THE DESTINATION ARPT WAS SIGHTED BELOW. THE CONTROLLER ACKNOWLEDGED & CLEARED THE PLT TO CHANGE FREQUENCY FOR LANDING. ABOUT 7 MIN LATER, THE ACFT CRASHED IN OPEN MESQUITE RANGE WHILE IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN, SLIGHT LEFT BANK ATTITUDE, AT HI SPEED. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT AFTER THE PLT'S LAST RADIO TRANSMISSION, THE ACFT OVERFLEW THE ARPT, TURNED LEFT & PROCEEDED NORTH, AWAY FROM THE ARPT, ABOUT 5 MI NORTH, IT MADE A 360 TURN, THEN CONTINUED 2 TO 3 MI FURTHER NORTH. A 180DEG TURN WAS THEN MADE & RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. DURING THAT TIME, THE ALT VARIED CONSIDERABLY. A RANCH FOREMAN HEARD THE ACFT FLYING AROUND BEFORE IT CRASHED. HE REPORTED AN OVERCAST WITH FOG & VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/8 MI.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/2/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1836
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City HEBBRONVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78361
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport JIM HOGG COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 03XS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 5
Airport Elevation 662
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1746 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 275
Weather Observation Facility ID LRD
Elevation of weather observation facility 508
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3070
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23385
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4097B
NTSB Number FTW84FA083
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 BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 76-30806
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
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 Jul 1 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 974
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN T. HUNTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 209 S.W. 10TH
Aircraft Owner City PLAINVIEW
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79072
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PVW
Departure City PLAINVIEW
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 03XS
Destination City HEBBRONVILLE
Destination State TX
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 13
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --