- Date
- January 31, 2003, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wildorado, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3535YCessna 182F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Flight Standards District Office (SW13)
- FAA report
- 20030131000999A
- Case key
- 56487
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 airplane collided with an animal that wandered onto the runway. A contributing factor was sun glare impairing the pilot's view on final approach.
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 1,266-hour commercial pilot collided with livestock while landing on a 2,000 foot private dirt airstrip. The pilot reported that while on final approach, a 600-pound calf crossed into the aircraft's flight path. The aircraft struck the calf with its landing gear. The pilot added that he was landing towards the west (Runway 26) into the setting sun. The sunglare impaired the pilot's view in final approach.
Factual narrative
On January 31, 2003, at approximately 1730 central standard time, a Cessna 182F single-engine airplane, N3535Y, registered to and operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged after colliding with livestock while on final approach to a private ranch airstrip located near Wildorado, Texas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated at 1530 from Wildorado, Texas.
The 1,266-hour pilot, who had accumulated 663 hours in the accident aircraft, reported that while on final approach, a 600-pound calf crossed into the aircraft's flight path. The aircraft then struck the calf with its landing gear. The aircraft sustained structural damage to the engine firewall and bottom of the fuselage.
The dirt airstrip was reported to be 2,000 feet long and 50 feet wide. The pilot reported he was landing to the west, into the setting sun.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3535Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 182F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18254435
- Airframe hours
- 2,400
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Billy Bob Moore
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2002 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- 1TE6 · Wildorado, TX
- Destination
- 1TE6
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
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 16, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,266 total · 663 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 31, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 214 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.