What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On aug 13, 2011 15 miles northwest of Lone Star Executive Airport (cxo), N16DD was part of a seven aircraft flight conducting formation practice at approximately 1500 ft MSL. During a shallow left banking turn, and after receiving the command to move from a diamond to a trail formation, N16DD, collided with N189DK from underneath. N16DD burst into flames and impacted the ground in a wooded area. N189DK made an emergency landing approximately ¼ mile to the SOUTHEASTN189DK showed evidence that the propeller stuck a heavy/ hard metal object. There were impact dents and scars with paint transfer in several places on the aircraft to include the left lower cowling, left and right main landing gear, leading edge and lower part of right wing amd trailing edge of right elevator. There was a light layer of soot on the top of both wings, both sides of the fuselage, and the empennage. The aircraft made a successful emergency landing approximately ¼ mile south east of the impact site of N16DD. The pilot sustained minor injuries. These included second degree burns the his left hand, forearm and torso. This may have been from the fireball caused during the mid air collision. N16DD showed evidence of a possible pre and post flight fire. The engine was struck on the top near the front of the number one cylinder. The major engine damage included striking the cooling fins of the cylinder, detaching the valve pushrod and severing the fuel lines. Other mid air impact evidence could have been destroyed during the post crash fire. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. It is undetermined if these were from the mid air collision or the crash impact.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUG 13, 2011 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF LONE STAR EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (CXO), N16DD WAS PART OF A SEVEN AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONDUCTING FORMATION PRACTICE AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 FT MSL. DURING A SHALLOW LEFT BANKING TURN, AND AFTER RECEIVING THE COMMAND TO MOVE FROM A DIAMOND TO A TRAIL FORMATION, N16DD, COLLIDED WITH N189DK FROM UNDERNEATH. N16DD BURST INTO FLAMES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A WOODED AREA. N189DK MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE TO THE SOUTHEASTN189DK SHOWED EVIDENCE THAT THE PROPELLER STUCK A HEAVY/ HARD METAL OBJECT. THERE WERE IMPACT DENTS AND SCARS WITH PAINT TRANSFER IN SEVERAL PLACES ON THE AIRCRAFT TO INCLUDE THE LEFT LOWER COWLING, LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, LEADING EDGE AND LOWER PART OF RIGHT WING AMD TRAILING EDGE OF RIGHT ELEVATOR. THERE WAS A LIGHT LAYER OF SOOT ON THE TOP OF BOTH WINGS, BOTH SIDES OF THE FUSELAGE, AND THE EMPENNAGE. THE AIRCRAFT MADE A SUCCESSFUL EMERGENCY LANDING APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE SOUTH EAST OF THE IMPACT SITE OF N16DD. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THESE INCLUDED SECOND DEGREE BURNS THE HIS LEFT HAND, FOREARM AND TORSO. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN FROM THE FIREBALL CAUSED DURING THE MID AIR COLLISION. N16DD SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A POSSIBLE PRE AND POST FLIGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS STRUCK ON THE TOP NEAR THE FRONT OF THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER. THE MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE INCLUDED STRIKING THE COOLING FINS OF THE CYLINDER, DETACHING THE VALVE PUSHROD AND SEVERING THE FUEL LINES. OTHER MID AIR IMPACT EVIDENCE COULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED DURING THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. IT IS UNDETERMINED IF THESE WERE FROM THE MID AIR COLLISION OR THE CRASH IMPACT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.