# NTSB FTW88LA053: Beech V35B, N3804X, Temple, TX, January 18, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 18, 1988, 08:52 local (14:52 UTC)
- Place: Temple, TX
- Location: 31.1519° N, 97.4077° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at DRAUGHON-MILLER CENTRAL TEXAS RGNL (TPL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.1519&lon=-97.4077&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 16, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 22608
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW88LA053
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/22608/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88LA053

## Probable cause

THE PILOT FAILED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH WHEN HE DESCENDED THROUGH DECISION HEIGHT.

## Sequence of events

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

- In flight collision with terrain/water, missed approach (ifr)
  - weather condition - low ceiling
  - weather condition - fog
  - weather condition - obscuration
  - weather condition - below approach/landing minimums (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - ifr procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - decision height - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - missed approach - delayed, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

WHILE EN ROUTE TO AUSTIN, TX, THE PLT CHANGED HIS DESTN TO TEMPLE, TX, DUE TO DETERIORATING WX AT AUSTIN. HOWEVER, THE WX AT TEMPLE WAS ALSO DETERIORATING. WHILE DESCENDING TOWARD TEMPLE, HE WAS ADVISED OF A SPL WX OBSERVATION WHICH RPRTD INDEFINITE CEILING 200', SKY OBSCURED, VIS 1/16 MI WITH FOG, WIND FROM 150 DEG AT 7 KTS. THE PLT ELECTED TO FLY AN ILS RWY 15 APCH WHICH HAD MINIMUMS OF 200' CEILING & 1/2 MI VIS. AT 0847 CST, AS THE PLT WAS BEGINNING THE APCH, ANOTHER WX OBSERVATION WAS TAKEN. IT RPRTD AN INDEFINITE CEILING OF 100', VIS 1/16 MI WITH FOG. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE FLT WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED, THEN WAS 'SLOW ON GO, HIT TAIL ON PITCH UP.'  AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN ABOUT 120' SHORT OF THE RWY, DAMAGING THE TAIL CONE & AFT FUSELAGE, BUT THE ACFT CONTD FLYING. THE PLT THEN DIVERTED & LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AT BROWNWOOD, TX, WHERE VFR CONDS PREVAILED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3804X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3804X-2020-05-18), registration cancelled 2020-05-18, S/N D-10358, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH V35B
- Registry model: [Beech V35B](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-v35b) (registry code 1151548) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: D-10358
- Airframe hours: 680
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-BB 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: G. L. Wilbanks
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 1987, 30 hours before
- Departed: 21XS, BIG SPRING, TX
- Destination: TPL, TEMPLE, TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: TPL, Draughon Miller Muni, runway 15, 6,301 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 68; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 17,410 total, 1,600 in this make and model, 16,800 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 160° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft
- Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: TPL

## 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 19880118071189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880118071189A), Jan 18, 1988: Beech V35B, Temple, TX, Substantial damage. Weather below minimums,began missed approach. Struck tail on ground short of runway. Flew damaged plane to alternate

## Other investigations on N3804X (1)

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.

- [NTSB CEN19WA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19WA268), Jul 30, 2019: Beech V35 (N3804X), Senneterre, Quebec, Canada, destroyed, 1 fatal

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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