Piper PA-23-250 N5443

Summary

On 13 November 1996 at about 05:05 local time, a Piper PA-23-250 registered N5443, operated by Billy D. Hardage, was involved in an accident near Plainview, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 November 1996 at 05:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Plainview, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Hale County (PVW)

Coordinates

34.1891, -101.7209

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-250

Registration

N5443

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Billy D. Hardage

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Worth → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW97LA040

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's continued descent below the minimum descent altitude (MDA). Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, the adverse weather conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot initially requested and was assigned 8,000 feet, and was later issued 10,000 feet as a final altitude assignment for the en route portion of his instrument flight to the Hale County Airport. As the airplane approached the Plainview VOR, the pilot was cleared by ATC for the published VOR approach to runway 04, and he was twice issued the current Lubbock altimeter as 30.42 inches. The airplane, configured with the landing gear extended, touched down on the runway's extended centerline, approximately 3/4 of a mile from the landing threshold for runway 04. Examination of the airplane revealed that the pilot's altimeter was set on 30.67 inches. The minimum descent altitude for the approach was 3,840 feet, and the field elevation was 3,372 feet. The top of the fog was reported at 4,200 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.