Denton Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denton, Texas 76205
Tuesady, December 20, 2011 1:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While landing at their destination airport, the commercial pilot and flight instructor flew the instrument landing system approach to runway 18. Weather was reported as 200-feet vertical and 1/2-mile visibility with fog. An observer, who sat in a rear seat, recalled that the airplane entered a fog bank during the approach. The observer saw airport lighting to the airplane's left, which was about the time the pilots realized that they were not aligned with the runway. Rather than fly the missed approach procedure, the pilot attempted to circle to runway 36 despite the weather being below minimums to circle. As the airplane set up to land on runway 36, the pilots realized that there was insufficient runway remaining to safely land but did not execute the published missed approach procedure, and, while making a left turn, the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane's flight plan was not closed out, which enabled air traffic control to initiate a search of the airplane. Incomplete radar data was used to locate the accident airplane. Despite searching 4 hours, the responders could not locate the airplane. Finally, a cellular telephone belonging to one of the pilots was "pinged" and responders were able to obtain a location; the airplane was found shortly thereafter. A postaccident review of all data available revealed that an additional radar site had recoded additional radar points, the last of which was 259 yards from the actual crash site.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's controlled flight into terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to perform a circling maneuver in weather below circling minimums instead of flying the missed approach instructions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 145
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Denton
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76205
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331254N
Event Location Longitude 0971213W
Event Location Airport Denton Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DTO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 642
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 153 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID DTO
Elevation of weather observation facility 642
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Indefinite (V V)
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.85
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KDTO 200753Z AUTO 17007KT 3/4SM BR VV002 11/
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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30777
NTSB Notification Source FAA SW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 22 2013 11:51AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N987BT
NTSB Number CEN12LA109
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172R
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17280452
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
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 Jan 10 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 930
Airframe Hours 8833.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name US AVIATION GROUP LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4850 SPARTAN DR
Aircraft Owner City DENTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76207-4547
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name US AVIATION GROUP LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4850 SPARTAN DR
Operator City DENTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 76207-4547
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SAT
Departure City San Antonio
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DTO
Destination City Denton
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 1 2012 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record aguj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 7002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --