N2146W

On August 2, 1997, at 1822 central daylight time, a Beech C23 airplane, N2146W, owned and operated by a private individual under Title 14 CFR Part 91, was substantially damaged during the landing phase at a private airstrip, near Terlingua, Texas. The private pilot received minor injuries and the 2 passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, and a flight plan was not filed for the flight which originated from Cleburne, Texas at 1500.

In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he approached the airport mid-field from the east, flew over the wind sock, and interpreted the wind direction as originating from the southeast. The pilot then reported that he turned the aircraft northbound and executed a downwind (utilizing a right hand traffic pattern) for runway 17. As the pilot turned the airplane from the base leg to final approach, he recognized that the airplane began to "stall out." The pilot stated that after the airplane began to stall, he added full power and the airplane continued to "stall and pancake into the ground." Subsequently, the airplane impacted a fence, located 114 feet west of and parallel to runway 17, with the outboard right wing. The nose of the airplane then contacted the ground and the aircraft turned approximately 180 degrees, slid backwards through the fence, and came to rest 105 feet from the fence. Approximately 100 feet of chain link fence was torn from its attaching points.

The pilot stated that after exiting the airplane, he noticed that the wind sock had changed direction, indicating winds from a northerly direction and continued to remain in that direction for about 5 minutes. The pilot then observed the wind sock change direction again, indicating winds from the south. The pilot reported, in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (Form 6120.1/2), the weather conditions as "moderate turbulence" and "a lot of updrafts and downdrafts that day."

A passenger, located in the right rear seat of the four place airplane, stated that the weather was "choppy" as the airplane descended. The passenger reported that the airplane made a right turn and then began "to fall."

During personal interviews, conducted by the FAA inspector, witnesses reported observing the airplane approximately "50 feet to 75 feet AGL," banking to the right, adjacent to the airport. A witness, who is a commercial pilot, reported that the airplane "appeared to be in a 70 degree bank." The commercial pilot added that the airplane had "apparently stalled and the right wing had dropped." Another witness, who was at the accident site, reported that "gas was leaking out" of the airplane.

Examination of the site by the FAA inspector revealed that there is a mountain located approximately 220 yards north of the approach end of runway 17 which, at its pinnacle, is approximately 500 feet above airport elevation. A ridge line (approximately 300 feet at its pinnacle) extends, from the northwest side of the mountain, to the southeast . Examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall buckled and the engine mounts were bent. The outboard section of the left wing was bent upward, the landing gear collapsed, and the propeller spinner was crushed inward.

The NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (Form 6120.1/2) indicated that the pilot received a biennial flight review on August 4, 1997, two days after the accident.