Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Heifer Creek Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Morrilton, Arkansas 72110
Wednesday, July 14, 2004 9:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 26.000-hour airline transport pilot attempted to depart on a cross-country flight from a 2,000-turf airstrip. The airplane collided with powerlines that ran perpendicular to the departure end of the 2,000-foot grass airstrip while attempting to takeoff upslope. The grass on the turf runway was reported to be about 5-inches long on the day of the accident. A post-impact fire consumed most of the airframe. Using reported weights provided by occupants of the airplane and family members, the airplane was found to have exceeded its maximum gross weight of 2,450 pounds by 210 pounds. The air temperature reported at the time of the accident was 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The investigator-in-charge calculated the density altitude to be 2,845 feet at the time of the accident. Post-accident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies or defects that could have prevented normal flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation to assure adequate takeoff performance to clear obstacles.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/14/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 900 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Morrilton |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72110 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 351804N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0923424W |
| Event Location Airport | Heifer Creek Ranch Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 16AR |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 210 |
| Airport Elevation | 730 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RUE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 379 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 26 |
| 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) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2608 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 3 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18281 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA LIT FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 14 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1100 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Little Rock, AR |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N48DB |
| NTSB Number | FTW04LA183 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | C23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | M-1292 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2450 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Billy Wilchman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | No. 60 Crescent Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cleveland |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72030 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | William Hetrick |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 288 Heifer Creek Rd. |
| Operator City | Springfield |
| Operator State | AR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 72157 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 16AR |
| Departure City | Sprigfield |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 900 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Memphis |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 22 2005 2:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 2000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |