- Date
- October 18, 1992, 19:40 local (Oct 19, 1992, 00:40 UTC)
- Place
- Liverpool, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N10736Cessna 150L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921018042319A
- Case key
- 18578
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 failure to maintain clearance with the obstruction. Factors were: the pilot's lack of total experience in night operations, and inadequate supervision from the certified flight instructor.
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 student had been released to overfly an airport approximately eight miles to the south and return for landing. He was instructed to maintain 1,000' MSL for the flight. The student pilot departed the traffic pattern approximately 40 minutes before sunset. The airplane impacted a television tower. A witness reported the airplane lights were not on as the airplane flew over his house. Prior to the accident the student became disoriented. He reported to his instructor pilot, over the radio, taht he could see the tower. He was told to fly north by the instructor, the student responded he was having difficulty seeing his instruments. The instructor pilot instructed him to turn on his instrument lights, the students response was he could not find the switch for the instrument panel lighting. Radio communication was lost with the student while the instructor pilot was trying to direct him to the switch.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10736
- Reported as
- Cessna 150L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15074993
- Airframe hours
- 4,535
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- W. J. Bonefas Co. Inc.
- Registered owner
- W. J. Bonefas Co. Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 9, 1992 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- 3TA1 · Manvel, TX
- Destination
- 3TA1
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
- 39
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 26 total · 26 in this make and model · 2 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 13 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HOU, 21 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.