# NTSB FTW84LA093: Vickers Type 668 Varsity, N65338, El Paso, TX, December 11, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: December 11, 1983, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place: El Paso, TX
- Coordinates: 31.710859, -106.330047 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7109&lon=-106.3300&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 21231
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW84LA093
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/21231/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW84LA093

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - overconfidence in personal ability, pilot in command (cause)
  - flight/nav instruments,airspeed indicator - inoperative (contributing factor)
  - level off - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - inadequate initial training, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (cause)
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper alignment - not attained, pilot in command (cause)
- Complete gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,main gear - overload
  - landing gear,nose gear - overload
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - flare/touchdown
  - wing - overload

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS ON A FLT FROM THE EL PASO INTL ARPT TO THE WEST TEXAS ARPT. A HARD LANDING WAS MADE CAUSING ALL THREE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE, FOLDED THE LEFT WING AFT JUST INBOARD OF THE ENG & TWISTED THE ENTIRE RIGHT WING ABOUT 30 DEG LEADING EDGE DOWN. ACCORDING TO THE PLT THE ACFT WAS FLOWN WITH 30 DEG OF FLAPS ON DOWNWIND & 47 DEG OF FLAPS ON BASE. HE ALSO REPORTED THAT BOTH AIRSPEED INDICATORS WERE STUCK AT 110 KTS. ACCORDING TO PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN BY AN UNIDENTIFIED PARTY, THE FLAPS WERE IN THE UP POSITION IN THE PATTERN & DURING TOUCHDOWN. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE WITH THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WHEEL TRACK IS ONLY 4 FT LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF THE RWY. THE PLT DID NOT HAVE A TYPE RATING NOR AUTHORIZATION IN LIEU OF A TYPE RATING FOR THE 15 MIN FERRY FLT. THE PLT HAD 4140 HRS CO-PLT TIME IN THEACFT, DURING WHICH HE HAD NEVER LANDED THE ACFT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N65338 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: VICKERS TYPE 668 VARSITY (TYPE 668 V)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: WJ-948
- Airframe hours: 7371
- Engines: BRISTOL 264 1950 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Registered owner: West Texas Air Museum
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special flight (Special)
- Last inspection: Unknown, December 3, 1983
- Departed: ELP, EL PASO, TX
- Airport: TX04, West Texas, runway 8, 4,000 × 30 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,425 total, 5 in this make and model, 1,355 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 2 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F

## 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 19831211060469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831211060469A), Dec 11, 1983: Vicker TYPE668VRSTY, El Paso, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft was substantially damaged during landing. Pilot was not rated in aircraft.

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.

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