# Incident 20240526006489I: Piper PA-18-150, Pandale, TX, May 26, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2024, 11:30 local time
- Place: Pandale, TX
- Airport: Hacienda Rio Lindo Ranch
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.2350° N, 101.6635° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HACIENDA RIO LINDO RANCH (79XA), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2350&lon=-101.6635&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83455, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83455) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18-150
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,570 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240526006489I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PILOT STATED THEY TOOK OFF FROM A PRIVATE SMALL AIR STRIP EAST OF EOLA, TEXAS. PILOT THEN PROCEEDED TO OZONA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (OZA). PILOT LANDED AND TOPPED OFF THE FUEL AT OZA. PILOT THEN PROCEEED TO HACIENDA RIO LINDO RANCH AIRPORT (79XA). DURING FLIGHT ENROUTE TO 79XA, PILOT STATED THEY WERE FLYING ABOVE THE CANYONS SIGHT SEEING AND DECIDED TO START A SHALLOW DECENT INTO THE CANYON TO FOLLOW THE PEXOS RIVER NORTHBOUND. PILOT STATED AT THIS POINT THEY HAD THE ENGINE POWER SETTING AT IDLE AND NOTICED THE WINDS WERE GUSTY, BUT MANAGEABLE. AS THE AIRCRAFT REACHED A LOWER ALTITUDE, PILOT NOTICED A DOWNDRAFT AND IMMEDIATELY MOVE THE ENGINE THROTTLE CONTROL TO INCREASE POWER TO PREVENT AIRCRAFT FROM STALLING. PILOT STATES THAT AFTER APPLYING MORE POWER TO THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND LIKE IT USUALLY DID AND BELIEVED THEY LOST TOO MUCH ALTITUDE. PILOT DECIDED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LANDING ON A GRAVEL SAND BAR. ONCE BELOW THE TREE LINE, THE AIRCRAFT LOST LIFT AND THE PILOT STATED THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE TARGETED LANDING AREA. THE AIRCRAFT PRECIDED TO OVERSHOOT THE TARGET AND LANDED LONG INTO THE RIVER. AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT WENT NOSE OVER. PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EGRESS WITHOUT INJURY.

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.

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