Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dallas, Texas 75201
Thursday, January 1, 2004 10:04 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After takeoff and climb out in solid instrument meteorological conditions, the single-engine airplane experienced failures of flight/navigation instruments. The 1,050-hour pilot was attempting to maneuver the airplane using partial panel techniques. Radar data showed that the pilot appeared to be experiencing spatial disorientation. ATC controllers were alerted due to the fact that the airplane was making "left' turns" instead of right turns as advised. After being observed by several witnesses flying just below the lowest cloud layer (approximately 125 feet agl) the airplane impacted several homes in a residential neighborhood. Both homes and the airplane were destroyed by post-impact fire. One person who was located 1/2 miles from the accident site, witnessed the airplane flying overhead in an straight and level attitude approximately 125 feet above ground level (agl), slightly below a layer of clouds. Another person who was a private pilot and located about 1/2 miles from the accident site, stated that he heard an airplane engine that sounded "normal." After about 15 seconds, it sounded as if the airplane was maneuvering, because of the pitch change in the engine. According to this witness, the engine sounded like it was "making good power." The airplane was rapidly getting closer and sounded very low and fast. The witness stated, "at no time did I see the aircraft due to the weather conditions." The nearest automated surface observing station reported wind from 130 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 7/8 in mist, overcast at 100 feet. The temperature and dew point were reported as 17 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.20 inches of Mercury. Flight control continuity could not be verified due to impact damage. A fire extinguisher from the airplane was found with the handle lock pin missing and bottle fully discharged. The instrument panel was completely destroyed by post-impact fire. The vacuum pump was separated and the drive coupling was bent approximately 30-degrees. The unit was disassembled and the rotor vanes were observed to be in place and not damaged. The core element was cracked. The intake and exhaust pipes were separated; the exhaust pipes were separated aft of the mufflers. Examination revealed that the left side ball flange clamp had four washers on the bolt. The clamp was tight on the ball flange, and the tailpipe would not move on the ball flange. The exhaust pipes were separated on both sides of the left ball flange. Due to the extensive post-impact fire damage, it could not be concluded as to the cause of the pilot's reported loss of instruments during the flight. However, it was noted that the wire bundle that connects the instrument panel through the firewall were in close proximity to the muffler's exhaust flange, on the engine side of the firewall.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of flight/navigation instruments while in instrument meteorological conditions (in-cloud flight and low ceilings) resulting in spatial disorientation. A contributing factors was the prevaling instrument meteorological conditions (low ceiling and in-cloud flight)
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/1/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1004 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Dallas |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75201 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 325357N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0964702W |
| 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 | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 150 |
| Airport Elevation | 644 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 957 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 250 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ADS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 644 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Partial Obscuration |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.88 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.2 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 775 |
| 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) | 17953 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 1 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 7 2005 10:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Dallas FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4104B |
| NTSB Number | FTW04FA052 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Bellanca |
| Aircraft Model | 17-30A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 75-30776 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3325 |
| 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 10 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2104.5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | David D. Knowles |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 15522 Lakeside Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bullard |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75757 |
| 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 | ADS |
| Departure City | Addison |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 957 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AMA |
| Destination City | Amarillo |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 9 2005 6:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |