Biggin Hill Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shallowater, Texas 79363
Saturday, February 9, 2008 18:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While maneuvering to final approach for a landing the pilot allowed the left wing of the airplane to contact the ground and subsequently collided with terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was wearing a shoulder restraint and lap belt and was not injured. The pilot reported that the collision was due to pilot error by allowing the airplane to get too low while maneuvering to land. Additionally the pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the pilot to maintain a safe clearance from the terrain while manuevering for the landing surface.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Shallowater
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79363
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 334454N
Event Location Longitude 1020401W
Event Location Airport Biggin Hill Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TA67
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.025
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3330
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 113
Weather Observation Facility ID KLBB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3282
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
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) 30.16
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) 23227
NTSB Notification Source Lubbock FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Feb 9 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 31 2008 11:52AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Lubbock, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26868
NTSB Number DFW08CA069
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 Piper
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 4252
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1200
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Van P White
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11302 Highway 84 Unit 20
Aircraft Owner City Shallowater
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79363
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Van P. White
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 11302 Highway 84 Unit 20
Operator City Shallowater
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 79363
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 TA67
Departure City Shallowater
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Shallowater
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 27 2008 4:33PM
User who most recently changed record GAMW
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --