Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Houston, Texas 77059
Tuesady, November 13, 2001 9:20 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane departed on an IFR flight plan and ten minutes had elapsed when a vibration in the airframe was felt, which gradually intensified. The pilot observed that the horizontal stabilizer was shaking with more intensity than the rest of the airplane. The vibration continued to intensify to the degree that the cockpit instruments were unreadable. The pilot declared an emergency to air traffic control and initiated an emergency descent. He then slowed the airplane to 120 knots and the vibration subsided; however, the vibration was still apparent. Subsequently, the airplane landed, and when the pilot exited the airplane, he observed that the left elevator was hanging 3-4 inches low, at the outboard end. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that the outboard left elevator hinge had separated from the horizontal stabilizer. A section of the aft spar had separated from the horizontal stabilizer and remained attached to the elevator hinge. Additionally, the left elevator trim tab push rod had separated in two places. Approximately 10 flight hours prior to the accident, several dents were found on the left elevator. The repair station reported that during the repair, rivets on a portion of the elevator were removed, and then replaced while the elevator remained attached the horizontal stabilizer. They added that no abnormal stresses were placed on the elevator hinge attachments during the repairs.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the failure of the left outboard elevator attachment, which resulted in the partial separation of the left elevator and induced an airframe vibration.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/13/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 920 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Houston |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77059 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | David Wayne Hooks Memorial |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DWH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 152 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DWH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 152 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 258 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11670 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 13 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2002 10:26AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Houston FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N28PC |
| NTSB Number | FTW02LA032 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aero Commander |
| Aircraft Model | 200D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 377 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| 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 | Sep 1 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 77 |
| Airframe Hours | 2900 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David A. Pyle, Frank M. Gilley, Gerald Walker |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 12095 Naughton Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Houston |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77024 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Gerald Walker |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. 2437 |
| Operator City | Brenham |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 77834 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | IWS |
| Departure City | Houston |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 915 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MWL |
| Destination City | Mineral Wells |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 18 2002 10:34AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SNYG |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17R |
| Runway Length | 7009 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |