- Date
- March 28, 1989, 03:08 local (09:08 UTC)
- Place
- Hondo, TX
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N736RTCessna 172XP
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890328004839A
- Case key
- 22763
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 pilot's decision to depart into known adverse weather and his lack of instrument training and experience.
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 pilot elected to takeoff after being told by the airport manager of an impending frontal passage with associated thunderstorms. He also was informed by approach control to remain on the ground until after the frontal passage had occurred. The aircraft collided with trees, during a thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightning. No mechanical malfunctions were found during the invesigation. The pilot was not instrument rated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N736RT
- Reported as
- Cessna 172XP
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1722735
- Airframe hours
- 1,144
- Engine
- Continental IO-360-K, 195 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bill Ray Chitty
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 1988 · 154 hours before
- Departed
- T89 · Castroville, TX
- Destination
- CZT · Carrizo Springs, TX
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 317 total · 247 in this make and model · 312 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 230° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HDO, 10 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.