N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albany, Texas 76430
Monday, February 20, 2012 19:36 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After leveling at a cruise altitude of 9,500 feet mean sea level the pilot reported that he had lost instrument suction and his attitude indicator. Radar data showed that the airplane made a climbing right turn and then descended rapidly. Radar and radio contact were lost and the wreckage was found the next morning. Ground and airplane impact signatures showed evidence of a nearly vertical nose down collision with terrain. Other pilots in the area reported a reduction in visibility with blowing dust, which severely restricted visibility and resulted in the loss of a visible horizon. The manufacturer of the vacuum pump had issued a service letter 4 years earlier that indicated that the pump was beyond its mandatory replacement time and must be removed from service. A postaccident examination revealed that the vacuum pump had a preimpact failure that resulted in the loss of all vacuum driven flight instruments. It is likely that the pilot inadvertently encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with reduced visibility and the lack of a visible horizon. The airplane’s subsequent turning ground track and rapid, near-vertical descent are consistent with the pilot’s loss of control of the airplane because of spatial disorientation following the loss of flight instrumentation while flying at night without a discernable horizon. According to FAA Advisory Circular 60-4A “Pilot’s Spatial Disorientation,” “Surface references and the natural horizon may at times become obscured, although visibility may be above visual flight rule minimums. Lack of natural horizon or surface reference is common on over-water flights, at night, and especially at night in extremely sparsely populated areas or in low visibility conditions. A sloping cloud formation, an obscured horizon, a dark scene spread with ground lights and stars, and certain geometric patterns of ground lights can provide inaccurate visual information for aligning the aircraft correctly with the actual horizon. The disoriented pilot may place the aircraft in a dangerous attitude.”

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of flight instrumentation due to a failed vacuum pump while flying a night without a discernable horizon, which resulted in the pilot's spatial disorientation and an in-flight loss of control and impact with terrain. Contributing was the continued operation of the airplane with a recalled and unsafe vacuum pump.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/20/2012
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1936
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Albany
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76430
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 324832N
Event Location Longitude 0991925W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1852 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 209
Weather Observation Facility ID KABI
Elevation of weather observation facility 1791
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 32701
NTSB Notification Source FAA ASW Regl Opns Center - Ft
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 15 2014 12:01AM
User who most recently changed record latt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7147P
NTSB Number CEN12FA164
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 PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-2312
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 4 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 4857
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name BAGA AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 SILVERSIDE RD STE 105
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810-4902
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name DALE L PHILLIPS JR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ABILENE
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 79602
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 ABI
Departure City Abilene
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1920
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OUN
Destination City Norman
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 7 2014 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --