Kleberg County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kingsville, Texas 78363
Thursday, March 18, 1982 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON 3/17/82 A WX BRIEFER ADVISED THE PILOT ALL OF TEXAS WOULD BE UNDER INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITONS ON THE MORNINGOF 3/18/82. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A FLT PLAN FILED BY THE PILOT OF N8988P AND THE DEPARTURE TIME FROM KINGSVILLE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT MORNING 1.5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT IN A PLOWEDFIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM DRIVEN ATTITUDE GYRO AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. TESTING REVEALED THAT THE GYRO WOULD NOT ERECT PROPERLY DUE TO DIRTY SPINDLE BEARINGS. NO OTHER PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE PILOT OF N8988P LOGGED A TOTAL OF 2.6 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT FLT IN THE SIX MONTHS PREVIOUS TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City KINGSVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78363
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport KLEBERG COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TKB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1454
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1001
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8988P
NTSB Number FTW82FRG26
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-260
Aircraft Serial Number 24-4448
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 1486
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAS L. BISSETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3509 VALHOLA
Aircraft Owner City CORPUS CHRISTI
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78415
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAS L. BISSETT
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3509 VALHOLA
Operator City CORPUS CHRISTI
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78415
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 TKB
Departure City KINGSVILLE
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 155
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City CORPUS CHRISTI
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --