# NTSB FTW97LA074: Beech C90A, N1552D, Rio Grande City, TX, January 2, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 2, 1997, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: Rio Grande City, TX - Coordinates: 26.549119, -98.720542 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5491&lon=-98.7205&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 25, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20137 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW97LA074 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20137/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA074 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the tower. Factors were the low ceilings and the pilot's diverted attention to his navigation. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - visual lookout - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - object - guy wire - object - tower ## Analysis The pilot planned to navigate south along the road for approximately 25 nautical miles to the Starr County Airport, near Rio Grande City. The pilot stated that while en route to the airport, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet MSL, the left engine propeller impacted guide wires and the outer portion of the right wing impacted a tower. According to the Brownsville sectional chart, the tower, which is located on the west side of the road, is 1,002 feet MSL high (519 feet AGL). The pilot reported that he 'checked [the] map to track his position along highway 755, and when he looked up, the tower was right in front, too late to take evasive action.' The pilot also reported that after the collision with the tower, he aborted the approach and proceeded to the McCallen Miller International Airport, where after extending the landing gear manually, an uneventful landing was made. ## Factual narrative On January 2, 1997, at 0845 central standard time, a Beech C90A, N1552D, was substantially damaged upon impact with a tower during approach near Rio Grande City, Texas. The airplane, owned by the Sheerin Charter Service L.C., of San Antonio, Texas, and operated by Raytheon Aircraft Services, also of San Antonio, was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91, at the time of the accident. The airline transport rated pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight for which an instrument flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the San Antonio International Airport at 0740. According to the pilot, the IFR portion of his flight plan was terminated after he found a clearing in the broken ceiling near the Diamond "O" Ranch airstrip, near La Gloria, Texas. The pilot planned to navigate south along the road for approximately 25 nautical miles to the Starr County Airport, near Rio Grande City. The pilot added that while en route to the airport, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet MSL, the left engine propeller impacted guide wires and the outer portion of the right wing impacted the tower. According to the Brownsville sectional chart, the tower which is located on the west side of the road, is 1,002 feet MSL high (519 feet AGL). In the narrative portion of the enclosed NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that he "checked [the] map to track his position along highway 755, and when he looked up, the tower was right in front, too late to take evasive action." The pilot reported that after the collision with the tower, he aborted the approach and proceeded to the McCallen Miller International Airport, near McCallen, Texas, where after extending the landing gear manually, an uneventful landing was made. Examination of the airframe revealed that a 65-inch section of outboard portion of the right wing was damaged, two propeller blades on the left engine propeller were damaged, and a 12-inch incision was found on the left mid wing section. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1552D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1552D), registered now, S/N LJ-1204, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech C90A - Registry model: [Beech C90A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c90a) (registry code 1152911) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: LJ1204 - Airframe hours: 1803 - Engines: P&W PT6A-21 550 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Raytheon Aircraft Services - Registered owner: Sheerin Charter Service L.C. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 11, 1996, 108 hours before - Departed: SAT, SAN ANTONIO, TX - Destination: 67R, RIO GRANDE CITY, TX - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 13,500 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 12,500 as pilot in command, 132 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 7 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## 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 19970102000119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970102000119A), Jan 2, 1997: Beech C90A, Rio Grande City, TX, Substantial damage. Cancelled IFR. Tried a visual to airport under low ceiling. Struck a tower. Damage left prop,right wing. Diverted. (-23) on January 2, 1997, at 0845 central… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.