Piper PA-22-150 N4329A

Summary

On 22 September 1989 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N4329A, operated by HAL F. Matheny, was involved in an accident near Elgin, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 1989 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Elgin, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Wood Triple D (NONE)

Coordinates

30.3391, -97.3702

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N4329A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

HAL F. Matheny

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hearne → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89FA171

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT CLOSURE (DEACTIVATION) OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE GUSTY WIND, AND THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION OF EXISTING CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A FARMER RPRTD HE OBSERVED THE ACFT APCHG THE PVT STRIP, AS IF TO LAND FROM THE SOUTH, BUT HE DID NOT SEE IT CRASH. THE ACFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 2, WHEN FIREMEN RESPONDED TO A RPRTD GRASS FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & BURNED. NO ROTATIONAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON THE PROP. THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND AT THE IDLE CUT-OFF PSN & THE THROTTLE WAS FOUND 2.3' FROM THE FORWARD PSN & BENT ABOUT 90 DEG TO THE RGT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ALSO FOUND BETWEEN THE LEFT TANK & OFF PSN; HOWEVER, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT DUE TO IMPACT & FIRE. BEFORE THE FLT, PLT HAD EXPRESSED HIS APPRENHENSION ABOUT LANDING AT THE AIRSTRIP. THIS WAS THE 1ST FLT FOR THE ACFT SINCE 6/3/89. IT HAD BEEN AT THE DEP ARPT DURING THAT TIME FOR COSMETIC MAINTENANCE. APRX 30 MI WEST AT AUSTIN, THE 1553 CDT WIND WAS FROM 340 DEG AT 14 GUSTING 25 KTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.