- Date
- March 7, 2011, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lockhart, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4571ZPiper PA-22-108
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20110307004979A
- Case key
- 78516
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Local law enforcement reported that several witnesses observed an airplane, matching the description of the accident airplane, flying low over homes and automobiles on the afternoon of the accident. Later, the wreckage was discovered just west of the airport property. The airplane had impacted trees and came to rest inverted. The empennage was bent and twisted 180 degrees beneath the fuselage and wings. An examination of the airplane and its systems revealed no mechanical anomalies.
Factual narrative
Local law enforcement reported that several witnesses observed an airplane, matching the description of the accident airplane, buzzing homes and automobiles on the afternoon of the accident. Later, the airplane accident site was discovered just west of the airport property. The airplane had impacted trees and came to rest inverted. The empennage was bent and twisted 180 degrees beneath the fuselage and wings. An examination of the airplane and its systems revealed no mechanical anomalies. Attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4571Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-8080
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 50R · Lockhart, TX
- Destination
- 50R · Lockhart, TX
- Airport
- 50R · Lockhart Municipal Airport
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Flight hours
- 0 total · 0 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 17 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,700 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KHYI, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 763 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.