What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft (a) N108VK - CFI was instructing student mostly on pattern work and landings along with a few other maneuvers that were covered on the way over to lockhart in N108VK (a). The crew ran through the pattern several times doing touch and go landings at lockhart. CFI was making the radio calls and coaching student on pattern/landing specifics.
They departed lockhart as dusk approached to return for a full stop landing on runway 8 at San Marcos. Statements revealed the traffic was a bit busy and that it was probably due to the bad weather all week from nearby storms, so everybody was flying. Most of the traffic was visible on adsb and all pilots were working together to manage the flow since the San Marcos tower was now closed.
While in the downwind to R8, N540LK (b)seemed to be bunched up a bit and (b) stated that he was executing a right 360 in downwind for spacing. The N540LK (b) aircraft was not equipped with adsb and was not visible on (a) screen, so the CFI asked him if he had rejoined downwind aircraft (b) said that he was going to return to base but saw aircraft (a) below him and would instead extend downwind to let them in.
Aircraft (a) started turn to base (with accompanying call) and then called out their position regularly after that. It was stated the CFI had a visual on N540LK (b) further out when they turned/called final (per radio call). Aircraft (b) overtook aircraft (a) in the faster plane and lost sight of (a) ahead/below him due to his low-wing aircraft and lack of adsb.
Aircraft N540LK (b) crashed into aircraft N108VK (a) from above left side, N540LK (b) propeller struck N108VK (a) windshield and engine cowling. No control for N108VK (a) as they were driven into the ground and flipped tail over and caught fire at the engine area. Aircraft N540LK (b) proceeedd over aircraft N108VK (b) and hit the airport entrance fence at the end of runway 8 and burst into flames.
Injuries:
N540LK pilot (b)- escaped uninjured
N108VK CFI (a) - displaced open fracture left ring finger, 4 stitches right forearm near elbow, abrasions
Of multiple areas of the body.
N108VK - student (a) -tbi/concussion/memory loss, suffered fractures in both feet, sternum, L1 vertebrae, and ribs. Strained left hand/shoulder, and had multiple cuts on legs and jaw?some requiring stitches.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT (A) N108VK - CFI WAS INSTRUCTING STUDENT MOSTLY ON PATTERN WORK AND LANDINGS ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER MANEUVERS THAT WERE COVERED ON THE WAY OVER TO LOCKHART IN N108VK (A). THE CREW RAN THROUGH THE PATTERN SEVERAL TIMES DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AT LOCKHART. CFI WAS MAKING THE RADIO CALLS AND COACHING STUDENT ON PATTERN/LANDING SPECIFICS.
THEY DEPARTED LOCKHART AS DUSK APPROACHED TO RETURN FOR A FULL STOP LANDING ON RUNWAY 8 AT SAN MARCOS. STATEMENTS REVEALED THE TRAFFIC WAS A BIT BUSY AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE BAD WEATHER ALL WEEK FROM NEARBY STORMS, SO EVERYBODY WAS FLYING. MOST OF THE TRAFFIC WAS VISIBLE ON ADSB AND ALL PILOTS WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO MANAGE THE FLOW SINCE THE SAN MARCOS TOWER WAS NOW CLOSED.
WHILE IN THE DOWNWIND TO R8, N540LK (B)SEEMED TO BE BUNCHED UP A BIT AND (B) STATED THAT HE WAS EXECUTING A RIGHT 360 IN DOWNWIND FOR SPACING. THE N540LK (B) AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ADSB AND WAS NOT VISIBLE ON (A) SCREEN, SO THE CFI ASKED HIM IF HE HAD REJOINED DOWNWIND AIRCRAFT (B) SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO RETURN TO BASE BUT SAW AIRCRAFT (A) BELOW HIM AND WOULD INSTEAD EXTEND DOWNWIND TO LET THEM IN.
AIRCRAFT (A) STARTED TURN TO BASE (WITH ACCOMPANYING CALL) AND THEN CALLED OUT THEIR POSITION REGULARLY AFTER THAT. IT WAS STATED THE CFI HAD A VISUAL ON N540LK (B) FURTHER OUT WHEN THEY TURNED/CALLED FINAL (PER RADIO CALL). AIRCRAFT (B) OVERTOOK AIRCRAFT (A) IN THE FASTER PLANE AND LOST SIGHT OF (A) AHEAD/BELOW HIM DUE TO HIS LOW-WING AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF ADSB.
AIRCRAFT N540LK (B) CRASHED INTO AIRCRAFT N108VK (A) FROM ABOVE LEFT SIDE, N540LK (B) PROPELLER STRUCK N108VK (A) WINDSHIELD AND ENGINE COWLING. NO CONTROL FOR N108VK (A) AS THEY WERE DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND AND FLIPPED TAIL OVER AND CAUGHT FIRE AT THE ENGINE AREA. AIRCRAFT N540LK (B) PROCEEEDD OVER AIRCRAFT N108VK (B) AND HIT THE AIRPORT ENTRANCE FENCE AT THE END OF RUNWAY 8 AND BURST INTO FLAMES.
INJURIES:
N540LK PILOT (B)- ESCAPED UNINJURED
N108VK CFI (A) - DISPLACED OPEN FRACTURE LEFT RING FINGER, 4 STITCHES RIGHT FOREARM NEAR ELBOW, ABRASIONS
OF MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE BODY.
N108VK - STUDENT (A) -TBI/CONCUSSION/MEMORY LOSS, SUFFERED FRACTURES IN BOTH FEET, STERNUM, L1 VERTEBRAE, AND RIBS. STRAINED LEFT HAND/SHOULDER, AND HAD MULTIPLE CUTS ON LEGS AND JAW?SOME REQUIRING STITCHES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.