# NTSB FTW02LA076: Piper PA-31T, N794CA, Hobbs, NM, February 5, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 4, 2002, 19:07 local (Feb 5, 2002, 01:07 UTC) - Place: Hobbs, NM - Coordinates: 32.6875, -103.216941 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6875&lon=-103.2169&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54129 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54129/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54129 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA076 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain the proper glidepath during the instrument approach. Contributing factors were the dark night light conditions and the pilot's diverted attention. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - proper glidepath - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) ## Analysis At the conclusion of a dark night IMC cross-country flight, the pilot was being vectored onto the ILS approach. After stabilizing, the approach "was normal." At decision altitude, the pilot indicated that he could see the approach lights and the runway, but was not in a position to land so he executed a missed approach. After being vectored around for another approach, he stated that he was on the localizer but was "high" on the glide slope. After giving "a little" nose down pitch, he became distracted when the auto-pilot became "accidentally disengaged." The pilot stated that he "inadvertently descended through the glide slope and impacted the ground short of the runway." He further stated that the "first indication" that he was low was when the aircraft "struck the ground." The aircraft was destroyed on impact. A facility check conducted by the FAA of the ILS found all parameters within normal specifications. ## Factual narrative On February 4, 2002, at 1907 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-31T twin-engine airplane, N794CA, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to runway 3 at the Lea County Municipal Airport, Hobbs, New Mexico. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from Las Vegas, Nevada, at 1700. In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he was being vectored onto the ILS runway 3 at Hobbs by Fort Worth Center (FTW ARTCC). After stabilizing, the approach "was normal." At decision altitude, he indicated that he could see the approach lights and the runway, but was not in a position to land so he executed a missed approach. After being vectored around for another approach, he stated that he was on the localizer but was "high" on the glide slope. After giving "a little" nose down pitch, he became distracted when the auto-pilot became "accidentally disengaged." The pilot stated that he "inadvertently descended through the glide slope and impacted the ground short of the runway." He further stated that the "first indication" that he was low was when the aircraft "struck the ground." The aircraft was destroyed on impact. The FAA conducted a facility check of the ILS runway 3 approach on February 6, 2002. All parameters were found within normal specifications. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N794CA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N794CA-2002-04-22), registration cancelled 2002-04-22, S/N 31T-8120018, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-31T - Registry model: [Piper PA-31T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t) (registry code 7103124) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 31T-8120018 - Airframe hours: 4900 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6-28 620 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT6-28 620 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert D. Calhoon - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 15, 2001, 100 hours before - Departed: LAS, Las Vegas, NV - Destination: HOB, Hobbs, NM - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: HOB, Lea County Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review July 18, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 2,893 total, 765 in this make and model, 2,893 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 120° at 5 knots - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 200 ft overcast - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: HOB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020204001299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020204001299A), Feb 4, 2002: Piper PA31T, Hobbs, NM, Destroyed. (-23) On February 4, 2002, Mr. Calhoon was the PIC of N794CA, a Piper PA-31T, being operated in IMC conditions from las to hob. On the second ILS runway 3… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 21, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54129. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 596 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40386890&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Flight Inspection Report (item 2, .PDF, 450 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40386891&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Flight%20Inspection%20Report-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.