WHEN THE PLT CALLED THE FSS AT 1426 EDT & FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, THE FSS PERSON BEGAN PROVIDING A WX BRIEFING. THE PLT INTERRUPTED THE WX BRIEFING & SAID HE WOULD CHECK BACK LATER. HE CALLED BACK AT 2016 EDT, BUT TALKED TO ANOTHER BRIEFER & ONLY ASKED FOR THUNDERSTORM INFO & THE HOUSTON TERMINAL FORCAST. AT THAT TIME, BEEVILLE MUNI ARPT, HIS DESTINATION, WAS NOTAMED CLOSED. THE PLT TOOK OFF AT 2044 CDT AND DID NOT ASK FOR NOTAM INFO, EITHER BEFORE DEPARTING OR WHILE EN ROUTE. DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR AN APCH TO BEEVILLE AT 2355 CDT. HOWEVER, THE LIGHTS WERE OUT & THE PLT COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. HE THEN ELECTED TO DIVERT TO NAS CHASE FIELD, BUT IT TOO WAS CLOSE & ITS LIGHTS WERE OUT. BY THIS TIME, THE FUEL LEVEL WAS LOW & THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A CONTROLLED OFF-ARPT LANDING. HE PICKED A FIELD, BUT DURING THE NIGHT LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FILE OF RAILROAD TIES & A SMALL TREE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE APRX 4-1/2 HRS. WHEN HE FILED A FLT PLAN, HE REPORTED 5 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION..INADEQUATE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

NOTAMS..NOT OBTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LIGHT CONDITION..DARK NIGHT

Contributing Factors

AIRPORT FACILITIES,RUNWAY/LANDING AREA CONDITION..NOT OPERATING

Contributing Factors

OBJECT..TREE(S)

Index for Oct1984 | Index of months