What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 14, 2016, at 1609 central standard time, N4751Z, a Piper PA22-108 airplane impacted terrain near Garden City, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane's registration was suspended and it was operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the midland airpark (mdd), midland, Texas, about 1545 local time and was enroute to Edwards Lucian Wells ranch airport, (TX31), big spring, Texas.
An employee of the pilot stated that the pilot intended to fly from mdd to TX31 to show the airplane to a friend. He reported that the pilot left the shop about 1400 local time and went to the airport.
A witness at the airport who spoke with the pilot prior to departure stated that the pilot was flying the airplane to TX31 to meet with a friend. The witness saw the pilot start the engine about 1530 local time, but did not see the pilot depart.
The accident site was located approximately 8 miles southwest of TX31 and about 4 miles south of expected route of flight. The main wreckage came to rest in an area of mostly flat terrain with mesquite trees and shrubs. The propeller was found embedded in the west side of a large dirt pile, which was next to a small open-pit mine. The debris field and main wreckage were located to the east of the dirt pile. The debris field was about 100 yards long.
At 1615 local time, the automated weather observation station, located at big spring mcmahon-wrinkle airport (bpg), big spring, Texas, located approximately 16 miles northeast of the accident site, recorded wind from 230 at 15 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear sky, temperature 63 f, dew point 23 f, altimeter setting 29.74 inches of mercury.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 14, 2016, AT 1609 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, N4751Z, A PIPER PA22-108 AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR GARDEN CITY, TEXAS. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRPLANE'S REGISTRATION WAS SUSPENDED AND IT WAS OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE MIDLAND AIRPARK (MDD), MIDLAND, TEXAS, ABOUT 1545 LOCAL TIME AND WAS ENROUTE TO EDWARDS LUCIAN WELLS RANCH AIRPORT, (TX31), BIG SPRING, TEXAS.
AN EMPLOYEE OF THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PILOT INTENDED TO FLY FROM MDD TO TX31 TO SHOW THE AIRPLANE TO A FRIEND. HE REPORTED THAT THE PILOT LEFT THE SHOP ABOUT 1400 LOCAL TIME AND WENT TO THE AIRPORT.
A WITNESS AT THE AIRPORT WHO SPOKE WITH THE PILOT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE STATED THAT THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE TO TX31 TO MEET WITH A FRIEND. THE WITNESS SAW THE PILOT START THE ENGINE ABOUT 1530 LOCAL TIME, BUT DID NOT SEE THE PILOT DEPART.
THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TX31 AND ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF EXPECTED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST IN AN AREA OF MOSTLY FLAT TERRAIN WITH MESQUITE TREES AND SHRUBS. THE PROPELLER WAS FOUND EMBEDDED IN THE WEST SIDE OF A LARGE DIRT PILE, WHICH WAS NEXT TO A SMALL OPEN-PIT MINE. THE DEBRIS FIELD AND MAIN WRECKAGE WERE LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THE DIRT PILE. THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS LONG.
AT 1615 LOCAL TIME, THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION, LOCATED AT BIG SPRING MCMAHON-WRINKLE AIRPORT (BPG), BIG SPRING, TEXAS, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, RECORDED WIND FROM 230 AT 15 KNOTS, 10 MILES VISIBILITY, CLEAR SKY, TEMPERATURE 63 F, DEW POINT 23 F, ALTIMETER SETTING 29.74 INCHES OF MERCURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.