ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 70439
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 10 December 2009 |
| Time: | 22:21 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-30-160 Twin Comanche |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N7781Y |
| MSN: | 30-686 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1965 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming IO-320 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Laguna Madre, 1.6 miles E of Port Mansfield, Texas -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Borger, TX (BGR) |
| Port Mansfield, TX (T05) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The commercial pilot and his passenger departed on a 4-hour visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight that had them arriving at an oceanside airport at night. Since the destination airport did not have any weather reporting capability, the pilot had to rely on weather from an airport 23 miles away and further inland. The weather conditions deteriorated while en route (ceiling 1,000 to 1,200 foot overcast, visibility 9-10 miles, and a closing temperature/dewpoint spread) so the pilot filed an instrument-flight-rules flight plan with air traffic control (ATC). As he approached his destination, the pilot asked ATC if he could descend to 2,000 feet and "take a look." The controller approved the descent at the pilot's discretion. ATC later cleared the pilot for a visual approach since no instrument approach procedures were available for the airport. The pilot was instructed to descend to 1,600 feet and to report when the airport was in sight. The pilot acknowledged that he had the airport in sight and there were no further communications with him. Radar data revealed the airplane flew southeast toward the airport at an altitude of 800 feet, then flew beyond the airport before it made a left turn toward the shoreline. The last recorded altitude was 600 feet. A witness who lived near the airport heard the airplane flying low over his home and went outside, but he was unable to see the airplane due to heavy haze and reduced visibility. He said the airplane noise traveled toward the shoreline and disappeared. The airplane came to rest inverted in approximately 7-10 feet of water about 1.6 miles east of the airport. Damage to the airplane was consistent with a shallow impact angle with the water, the subsequent recovery operations, and salt water corrosion. All four blades (two on each engine) exhibited symmetrical aft bending and twisting toward low pitch (not feathered), consistent with water impact at low or moderate power. The landing gear was extended and the flaps were fully retracted. Examination of the airplane, both engines, and propellers revealed no premishap mechanical deficiencies.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with the water while on approach (VFR) to land.
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=7781Y
7. https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N7781Y
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Dec-2009 11:01 | slowkid | Added |
| 11-Dec-2009 11:03 | slowkid | Updated |
| 11-Dec-2009 13:07 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 11-Dec-2009 14:04 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 11-Dec-2009 17:08 | RobertMB | Updated |
| 13-Dec-2009 21:45 | slowkid | Updated |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:25 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 12-Apr-2017 23:23 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Apr-2017 23:29 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 02-Dec-2017 17:59 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation