Big Spring Mcmahon-Wrinkle Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Big Spring, Texas 79720
Tuesady, October 29, 2002 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the Piper flew to the destination airport and entered a right hand traffic pattern. The pilot made at least three position reports on the non-towered airport's common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF). The pilot of a Cessna completed an aerial application flight, returned to the destination airport, and entered a left hand traffic pattern. The Cessna was not equipped with radios, and therefore was unable to make position reports, or listen to other pilots making position reports on the airport's CTAF. According to a witness, the airplanes turned on to the final approach leg simultaneously and collided approximately 150 feet agl. The Piper continued straight ahead and landed. The Cessna circled around, reentered the traffic pattern, and landed. The published traffic pattern is to the left. The Aeronautical Information Manual recommends that pilot's monitor appropriate control frequencies so that a mental picture of surrounding traffic can be maintained.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of both pilots to maintain visual separation with each other. Factors were the Piper pilot's nonstandard traffic pattern and the Cessna pilot's inability to listen to or make radio transmissions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Big Spring
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79720
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324506N
Event Location Longitude 1011754W
Event Location Airport Big Spring McMahon-Wrinkle
Event Location Nearest Airport ID T49
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 2573
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID MAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2871
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.84
Density Altitude (feet) 4332
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13346
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 29 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
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 Lubbock, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N1456A N8811G
NTSB Number FTW03LA022A FTW03LA022B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? No No
Damage Substantial None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper Cessna
Aircraft Model PA-22 A188B
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-359 18801312-T
Certified Max Gross Weight 1893 4200
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 1
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 2001 12:00AM Sep 19 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 73.8 89
Airframe Hours 2962.2 5864
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated No Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name Jay S. Curtis Linda K. Dickson
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1212 El Caminito Drive P.O. Box 616
Aircraft Owner City Hobbs Plains
Aircraft Owner State NM TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88240 67869
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name -- Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address -- --
Operator City -- --
Operator State -- --
Operator Country -- --
Operator Zip code -- --
Operator Code -- --
Owner has at least one certificate None 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 Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code HOB T49
Departure City Hobbs Big Spring
Departure State NM TX
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time 1330 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code T49 --
Destination City Big Springs --
Destination State TX --
Destination Country USA --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No No
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2003 5:24PM Mar 20 2003 5:24PM
User who most recently changed record CASH CASH
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24 24
Runway Length 4601 4601
Runway Width 75 75
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --