# Accident 19991024028959A: Amtr SPEZIOSPORT, Mathis, TX, October 24, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 24, 1999, 17:52 local time - Place: Mathis, TX - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Low Level Operations - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 28.0902° N, 97.8194° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0902&lon=-97.8194&mi=10 - Aircraft: N75JS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N75JS-2017-07-18) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Sturges SPEZIO SPORT (registry code 0561337, https://openairdocs.org/model/sturges-spezio-sport) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR SPEZIOSPORT - Reported engine: LYC O290* - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Pilot flight hours: 17,685 total, 20 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA015) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991024028959A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON OCTOBER 24, 1999, AT 1752 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A STURGES SPEZIO SPORT AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE, N75JS, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED POWER LINES AND TERRAIN, AND THEN COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR MATHIS, TEXAS. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT AND HIS PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. ONE OF THE FOUR OCCUPANTS OF THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THREE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, FOR WHICH A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE ARROWHEAD PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR LAGARTO, TEXAS, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES TRAVELLING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 37, THE TAIL-WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING "VERY LOW" TOWARD THE EAST BEFORE TURNING TO THE SOUTH OVER I-37. THE TANDEM-SEAT AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A "CONTINUOUS DESCENT" AND THE WITNESSES "THOUGHT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE SOUTH-BOUND LANES OF I-37." THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A SET OF POWER LINES RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE INTERSTATE, VEERING TH E PLANE TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ANOTHER SET OF POWER LINES AND WAS "FLUNG NOSE DOWN INTO THE NORTH-BOUND LANES OF I-37." THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE AND THE AUTOMOBILE COLLIDED AND THEN SLID OFF THE ROAD TO THE EAST. THE WOODEN AND COMPOSITE AIRPLANE WAS FRAGMENTED IN SEVERAL SECTIONS AS IT CAME TO REST ATOP AND ADJACENT TO THE CAR. THERE WAS NO REPORTED FIRE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT SMELL FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE; HOWEVER, LOCAL LAW PERSONNEL STATED THAT FUEL COULD BE SMELLED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTORS, WHO EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE, THE INTEGRITY OF THE FUEL TANKS WAS COMPROMISED. THE ENGINE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LINES. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 17,700 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS. AT 1751, THE WEATHER AT CORPUS CHRISTI (LOCATED 27 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE) WAS REPORTED TO BE SKY CLEAR, 10 STATUE MILES VISIBILITY, WIND FROM 090 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS, TEMPERATURE OF 75 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, DEWPOINT OF 43 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE BROWNSVILLE SECTIONAL CHART DEPICTS NUMEROUS POWER LINES RUNNING PARALLEL AND PERPENDICULAR TO I-37 I N THE AREA NORTH OF MATHIS, TEXAS. THE POWER LINES THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED WERE NOT HIGHLIGHTED WITH MARKERS. (.4)ACCORDING TO WITNESSES TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE AMATEUR-BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING 'VERY LOW' TOWARD THE EAST BEFORE TURNING TO THE SOUTH OVER THE INTERSTATE. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A 'CONTINUOUS DESCENT' AND THE WITNESSES 'THOUGHT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON THE SOUTH-BOUND LANES OF [THE INTERSTATE].' THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A SET OF POWER LINES RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE INTERSTATE, VEERING THE PLANE TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ANOTHER SET OF POWER LINES AND WAS 'FLUNG NOSE DOWN ONTO THE NORTH-BOUND LANES OF [THE INTERSTATE].' THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE AND AN AUTOMOBILE COLLIDED AND THEN SLID OFF THE ROAD TO THE EAST. THE WOOD AND COMPOSITE AIRPLANE WAS FRAGMENTED IN SEVERAL SECTIONS AS IT CAME TO REST ATOP AND ADJACENT TO THE CAR. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ITS NORMAL OPERATION PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME DESTROYED THE FUEL SYSTE M, PRECLUDING ITS EXAMINATION. (-23)AT APPROX 1752 CST ON 10/24/99, A STURGES SPEZIO SPORT AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED POWER LINES AND TERRAIN, AND THEN COLLIDED WITH AN AUTOMOBILE WHILE MANUVERING NEAR MATHIS, TX. THE ATP RATED PILOT AND HIS PILOT RATED FEMALE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. ONE OF FOUR OCCUPANTS OF THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING VERY LOW TOWARD THE EAST BEFORE TURNING TO THE SOUTH OVER I-37. THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A SET OF LINE RUNNING PERPENDICULAR TO THE INTERSTATE, VEERING THE PLANE TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ANOTHER SET OF POWER LINES AND WAS "FLUNG NOSE DOWN" INTO THE NORTH-BOUND LANES OF I-37. THE AIRPLANE AND THE AUTOMOBILE COLLIDED AND THEN SLID OFF THE ROAD TO THE EAST. THE WOODEN AND COMPOSITE AIRPLANE WAS FRAGMENTED IN SEVERAL SECTIONS AS IT CAME TO REST ATOP AND ADJACENT TO THE CAR. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW00LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA015), Oct 24, 1999: Sturges Spezio Sport (N75JS), Mathis, TX, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with the power lines while maneuvering. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.