- Date
- February 2, 2006, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Comstock, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N192DWsk-Pzl Warzawaokecie PZL-104 Wilga 80
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- SAN ANTONIO
- FAA report
- 20060202002229A
- Case key
- 63188
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation leading to him becoming lost. Contributing factors were the unfavorable winds and the lack of suitable terrain for a precautionary landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The 600-hour private pilot became lost during a 125-nautical mile dead reckoning cross-country flight. Running low on fuel, the pilot elected to land at a ranch. Upon landing, the pilot realized that he was in Mexico, approximately 206 miles south of his intended destination. The pilot quickly departed the ranch and flew in a northerly direction until he spotted a Texas flag. Estimating that he had about 3 gallons of fuel remaining, the pilot elected to land on a gravel road before his remaining fuel was exhausted. While on final approach to the gravel road, the pilot observed a tall fence running parallel to the road and elected to land off the road on rocky and uneven terrain. While landing, the airplane's horizontal stabilizer sustained structural damage following impact with sagebrush and cactus plants. The pilot reported that he did not have a navigational chart on board the airplane, and very strong winds aloft, with speeds up to 65 mph, prevailed throughout the area, forcing his airplane off-course.
Factual narrative
The 600-hour private pilot became lost during a 125-nautical mile dead reckoning cross-country flight. Running low on fuel, the pilot elected to land at a ranch. Upon landing, the pilot realized that he was in Mexico, approximately 206 miles south of his intended destination. The pilot quickly departed the ranch and flew in a northerly direction until he spotted a Texas flag. Estimating that he had about 3 gallons of fuel remaining, the pilot elected to land on a gravel road before his remaining fuel was exhausted. While on final approach to the gravel road, the pilot observed a tall fence running parallel to the road and elected to land off the road on rocky and uneven terrain. While landing, the airplane's horizontal stabilizer sustained structural damage following impact with sagebrush and cactus plants. The pilot reported that he did not have a navigational chart on board the airplane, and very strong winds aloft, with speeds up to 65 mph, prevailed throughout the area, forcing his airplane off-course.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N192D
- Reported as
- Wsk-Pzl Warzawaokecie PZL-104 Wilga 80
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CF14800559
- Airframe hours
- 1,550
- Engine
- PZL WSK AL-14RA, 251 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tailwind Productions
- Registered owner
- Tailwind Productions
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2005
- Departed
- Private Ranch
- Destination
- KT88 · Colorado City, TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 15 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.