Big Spring Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Spring, Texas 79720
Sunday, January 12, 1986 17:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH BARRIERS MARKING A DISPLACED THRESHOLD DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEPARTURE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, THEN QUIT COMPLETELY. THE ENGINE RAN SUCCESSFULLY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REFUELED ABOUT 6 TO 8 WEEKS BEFORE THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT & ANOTHER PILOTHAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT FOR 45 MINUTES (WITHOUT INCIDENT) IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. A CHECK OF THE FUEL SHOWED NO IRREGULARITIES OTHER THAN THE AGE OF THE FUEL. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE DISCOVERED DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME OR FUEL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BIG SPRING
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79720
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIG SPRING
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 21XS
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 2595
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2871
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1299
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 12 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31694
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9183P
NTSB Number FTW86FQG05
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4676
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLYDE E. THOMAS JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 400 WASHINGTON BOX 2071
Aircraft Owner City BIG SPRING
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79720
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 06
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1655
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 7
Runway Length 2800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --