Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Comstock, Texas 78837
Thursday, February 2, 2006 12:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 600-hour private pilot became lost during a 125-nautical mile dead reckoning cross-country flight. Running low on fuel, the pilot elected to land at a ranch. Upon landing, the pilot realized that he was in Mexico, approximately 206 miles south of his intended destination. The pilot quickly departed the ranch and flew in a northerly direction until he spotted a Texas flag. Estimating that he had about 3 gallons of fuel remaining, the pilot elected to land on a gravel road before his remaining fuel was exhausted. While on final approach to the gravel road, the pilot observed a tall fence running parallel to the road and elected to land off the road on rocky and uneven terrain. While landing, the airplane's horizontal stabilizer sustained structural damage following impact with sagebrush and cactus plants. The pilot reported that he did not have a navigational chart on board the airplane, and very strong winds aloft, with speeds up to 65 mph, prevailed throughout the area, forcing his airplane off-course.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation leading to him becoming lost. Contributing factors were the unfavorable winds and the lack of suitable terrain for a precautionary landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/2/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Comstock |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78837 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 294721N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1011020W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 25 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 35 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19646 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Texas DPS |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 2 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 30 2006 1:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | SAN ANTONIO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N192D |
| NTSB Number | DFW06CA064 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | WSK-PZL WARZAWAOKECIE |
| Aircraft Model | PZL-104 WILGA 80 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | CF14800559 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Feb 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1550 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TAILWIND PRODUCTIONS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105 |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Tailwind Productions |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105 |
| Operator City | NEW CASTLE |
| Operator State | DE |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19810 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Private Ranch |
| Departure State | -- |
| Departure Country | MX |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KT88 |
| Destination City | COLORADO CITY |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 28 2006 7:32PM |
| 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 | -- |