- Date
- December 2, 1994, 17:25 local (23:25 UTC)
- Place
- Goldthwaite, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2LKPiper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941202040999A
- Case key
- 19318
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 attempted flight into known adverse weather conditions. Factors were the unsuitable terrain, reduced visibility due fog and low ceilings, and the reduced light conditions.
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
While en route from deming, NM, to waco, TX, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather and elected to divert to brownwood, TX, his alternate. Prior to his departure from deming, new Mexico, he had received a complete weather briefing. The briefer informed him that the weather along his proposed route of flight would be deteriorating. The pilot was unable to locate the alternate airport due to reduced visibility and the light conditions, so he decided to land in a cow pasture. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a barbed wire fence and nosed over into a creek.
Factual narrative
On December 2, 1994, approximately 1725 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, N2LK, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing near Goldthwaite, Texas. The private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
The following is based on interviews with the pilot and the pilot operator report. The pilot had flown from Chino, California, to Deming, New Mexico. At Deming, the airplane was refueled and the pilot obtained a weather briefing, he was informed that he would be experiencing deteriorating ceilings along his proposed route of flight, before filing a VFR flight plan to Waco, Texas. En route to Waco, the pilot was in radio contact with Fort Worth Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). When he was about 100 miles from Waco, he began a descent due to deteriorating ceilings and elected to divert to Brownwood, Texas, his alternate. Due to deteriorating weather and reduced lighting conditions, he was unable to locate the Brownwood Airport and decided to make a precautionary landing in a cow pasture. During the landing roll, the airplane struck an barbed wire fence and nosed over into a creek. The pilot reported weather was partial obscuration, 3,500 feet overcast, 3 miles visibility in fog and drizzle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2LK
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-727
- Airframe hours
- 3,900
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Breto, Fidel A.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 15, 1994 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- DMN · Deming, NM
- Destination
- BWD · Brownwood, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 445 total · 39 in this make and model · 235 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 315° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.