Austin Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Austin, Texas 78660
Saturday, February 16, 2013 21:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, as the airplane approached the end of the unlit taxiway, adjacent to the runway threshold, the right wing landing light failed, significantly reducing his forward visibility in the dark night conditions. The pilot cycled the right wing landing light switch as he applied wheel brakes; however, the light did not illuminate. The pilot stated that he was unable to stop the airplane before it departed the end of the taxiway and traveled down an embankment. The airplane overran the end of the taxiway despite the pilot's immediate application of brakes after the failure of the landing light, which is consistent with the pilot's use of an excessive taxi speed. Although the pilot did not recall seeing any reflective markers identifying the end of the taxiway, the end of the taxiway was identified by ground-level red reflectors, and the taxiway edges were identified by evenly spaced blue reflective posts. In response to the accident, the airport authority agreed to purchase additional blue reflective posts to more adequately mark the limits of the unlit taxiway. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration agreed to amend its Airport Facility Directory to reflect that the taxiway edges were marked by reflector posts and that the northwest end of runway 13-31 and parallel taxiway had a 16-foot descending embankment beginning at the end of the pavement.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's use of an excessive taxi speed, which resulted in the airplane overrunning the end of the unlit taxiway after the failure of the right wing landing light.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2145
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Austin
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78660
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 302351N
Event Location Longitude 0973359W
Event Location Airport Austin Executive Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EDC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 620
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2155 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID EDC
Elevation of weather observation facility 620
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.24
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KEDC 170315Z AUTO 17004KT 10SM CLR 10/M03 A3
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32114
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Duty Officer, Timothy Sor
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 17 2013 8:19AM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4426C
NTSB Number CEN13LA170
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 195
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 16011
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 5 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3539
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Stephen W. Allen
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fredericksburg
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78624-3635
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Stephen W. Allen
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fredericksburg
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 78624-3635
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 EDC
Departure City Austin
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2145
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code T82
Destination City Fredericksburg
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 17 2013 8:19AM
User who most recently changed record foxt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --