Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Alvarado, Texas 76009
Thursday, October 4, 2001 13:15 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While maneuvering during a local instructional flight, the multiengine airplane entered a flat spin that resulted in an in-flight collision with the terrain. A witness, who holds a private pilot certificate, observed the airplane approximately 1,500 feet agl in a "flat spin," and the airplane impacted the ground "flat on its bottom" in a pasture, approximately 400 yards north of the witness. Another witness reported that the airplane was in a flat spin and could not recover. The private pilot with a multiengine rating occupied the left seat, and the multiengine flight instructor occupied the right seat. At the accident site, the landing gear actuator was found in the extended position, and the flap actuators were found in the 10 degree flap position. Examination of the right propeller revealed that the blade counterweight signature markings on the blade sockets indicated that the propeller was in the feathered position at impact. Examination of the right propeller unfeathering accumulator revealed the presence of three separate cracks at the transition between the circumferential stiffener and the thin-walled hemisphere of the diaphragm. The private pilot's toxicological tests indicated that 0.462 (ug/ml, ug/g) of Citalopram (also known by the trade name Celexa), 0.114 (ug/ml, ug/g) of N-desmethylcitapram, 0.024 (ug/ml, ug/g) of di-N-desmethylcitalopram, 0.194 (ug/ml, ug/g) of Diphenhydramine (commonly known by the trade name Benadryl) was detected in the blood and urine, and 17.406 (ug/ml, ug/g) acetaminophen was detected in the urine. Citalopram is a prescription antidepressant, N-desmethylcitapram and di-N-desmethylcitalopram are metabolites of citalopram, and diphenhydramine is an over-the counter antihistamine with sedative effects, often used to treat allergy symptoms. Diphenhydramine was detected in the private pilot's blood in levels consistent with the recent ingestion of several times a normal dose, and the pilot was likely impaired by the effects of diphenhydramine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inadvertent flat spin of the airplane by the flightcrew resulting from the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. A contributing factor was the impairment (drugs) of the private pilot.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/4/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Alvarado |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76009 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322126N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0971001W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1256 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 330 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FTW |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 710 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 27 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 30000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 13336 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 4 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1330 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2003 12:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Worth, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8164R |
| NTSB Number | FTW02FA004 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | 95-B55 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | TC-1746 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5100 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 17 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 108.7 |
| Airframe Hours | 7896.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Les Cothron |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2750 Falcon Way |
| Aircraft Owner City | Midlothian |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76065 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Alamo Aviation, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5104 S. Collins |
| Operator City | Arlington |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76018 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GKY |
| Departure City | Arlington |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1215 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| 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 | Descent - uncontrolled |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2003 4:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |