Senior Aerosport/Paet PJ 260 N260LP

Summary

On 25 December 1989 at about 23:15 local time, a Senior Aerosport/Paet PJ 260 registered N260LP, operated by Paetzold, Lawrence E., was involved in an accident near Hereford, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 December 1989 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Hereford, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Paetzold (NONE)

Coordinates

34.8208, -102.3891

Aircraft

Senior Aerosport/Paet PJ 260

Registration

N260LP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Paetzold, Lawrence E.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90DQG01

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE OBSTACLE CLEARANCE ON THE APPROACH TO LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE POWER POLE JUST SHORT OF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING TO LAND AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP THAT HAD POWER POLES ALONG THE APPROACH PATH. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD MISJUDGED THE OBSTACLE CLEARANCE AND THOUGHT HE HAD PASSED THE LAST OF THE POLES WHEN HE INITIATED A DESCENT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A 30 FOOT POWER POLE LOCATED JUST PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED IN AN ESTIMATED 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE TO TERRAIN IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.