# NTSB CEN11CA439: Barker A E B-2, N6917, Sisterdale, TX, June 30, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 30, 2011, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place: Sisterdale, TX
- Coordinates: 29.977222, -98.722778 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9772&lon=-98.7228&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 4, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 80963
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA439
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/80963/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80963
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA439

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstacles.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Barker A E B-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=05611EG), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Barker A E B-2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=05611EG), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot was flying his airplane low around a private airport when the tailwheel and propeller hit several powerlines. The airplane descended to the ground and struck the railroad tracks of a scaled miniature railroad directly below the powerlines. The impact with the ground bent the bottom of the rudder and the right wing and resulted in the separation of the main landing gear. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies or failures.

## Factual narrative

According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot was flying his airplane low around a private airport when the tailwheel and propeller hit several powerlines. The airplane descended to the ground and struck the railroad tracks of a scaled miniature railroad directly below the powerlines. The impact with the ground bent the bottom of the rudder and the right wing and resulted in the separation of the main landing gear. An examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies or failures.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6917](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6917-2015-05-05), registration cancelled 2015-05-05, S/N 1, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BARKER A E B-2
- Registry model: [Barker A E B-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/barker-a-e-b-2) (registry code 05611EG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 1
- Engines: LYCOMING O-290 SERIES 140 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: 5C1, San Antonio, TX
- Destination: 5C1, San Antonio, TX

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KSAT

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20110630012439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110630012439A), Jun 30, 2011: Barker A E B-2, Sisterdale, TX, Substantial damage. During low level flight aircraft struck powerline and subsequencally struck ground and miniture railroad.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=80963. 115 KB in all.

- Record of Telephone Conversation - FAA (item 1, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351642&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF
- Memo - 6120 (item 2, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351643&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memo%20-%206120-Master.PDF

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.

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