Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brady Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grand Saline, Texas 75140
Sunday, December 21, 2003 13:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot failed to maintain directional control while on final approach to runway 22 (2,000-foot-long and 50-foot-wide turf runway) at a private airstrip. A witness, who lived at the private airport, was standing outside of her home when she first heard the airplane on final approach. She reported the sound of the engine was similar to when an airplane would cross over the runway threshold during landing. When she looked up, she noticed that the airplane was "way, way, low", and to the right of the runway centerline. The witness observed the airplane as it descended in a nose down angle into trees, followed by the sound of an impact. In addition, the witness stated that crosswinds prevailed at the time of the accident. Weather reported at an airport 19 miles east of the accident site were winds from 190 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 29 knots. The National Weather Service had issued a wind advisory, which included the county where the accident occurred and was in effect at the time of the accident. The wind advisory included south winds that would increase to 20 to 30 miles per hour by late morning with higher gusts. No mechanical deficiencies were found with the airplane or engine.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach. Factors were the high winds and prevailing crosswind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/21/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Grand Saline |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75140 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323234N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0954232W |
| Event Location Airport | Brady Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 5XS5 |
| 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 | 545 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1356 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TYR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 544 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 19 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 29 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| 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) | 15883 |
| NTSB Notification Source | SW COMM CTR |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 21 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1400 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 7:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Dallas, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N78189 |
| NTSB Number | FTW04FA045 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17257519 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 2 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26.9 |
| Airframe Hours | 7884 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Brady Swinney |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 791 VZ County Road 1516 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Van |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75790 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | JAN |
| Departure City | Jackson |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 930 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 5XS5 |
| Destination City | Grand Saline |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2004 6:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 2000 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |