FTW83FA175

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 500 · Eagle Pass, TX · April 2, 1983

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
April 1, 1983, 20:00 local (Apr 2, 1983, 02:00 UTC)
Place
Eagle Pass, TX
Injuries
4 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N700CWCessna 500
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19830401012539A
Case key
20716

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

In flight encounter with weatherApproach
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Weather condition - obscurationFactor
Weather evaluation - poorPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterApproach - vfr pattern - base turn
Proper altitude - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterOther
Terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankmentFactor

Analysis

The acft was on a flt to a private ranch landing strip at night. The strip had an unlighted windsock at midfield & portable rwy edge lights were in use. During arrival, the aircrew estimated the visibility was 3 to 4 mi & reported they would be able to land. Personnel at the ranch heard the acft fly over. One of them reported that earlier, the wind had been blowing hard & the air was full of dust, but at the time the acft arrived, dust had settled. A deputy sheriff noted that at times, the visibility was good, but at other times, it was poor. The acft owner, who was at the ranch, said he could see the acft lights at times (in the traffic pattern), but at times, he could not see them. After making 2 passes, the acft crashed in the area where it should have been on a base leg. An exam of the wreckage revealed it was in a left turn during impact. After initial impact, it bounced/slid 663 ft, then hit a tree covered canal levee & burned. No evidence of a preimpact/mechanical malfunction or failure was found.

Aircraft

Registration
N700CW
Reported as
Cessna 500
Category
Airplane
Serial number
500-0205
Airframe hours
3,440
Engine
P&W JT15D-1, 2,090 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Executive/Corporate · Part 91
Registered owner
Winn Exploration Co., Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Transport
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · April 1, 1983 · 2 hours before
Departed
CRP · Corpus Christi, TX
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
6TA4 · Winn, runway 32, 6,300 × 64 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
44
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Helicopter, Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
10° at 12 knots
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 27 °F
Observed at
DLF, 60 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.