# NTSB CEN14LA342: Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, N4263, Frankston, TX, July 4, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 4, 2014, 14:05 local (19:05 UTC) - Place: Frankston, TX - Coordinates: 32.08361, -95.435836 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0836&lon=-95.4358&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 9, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 89614 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA342 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89614/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89614 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA342 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to make a steep turn at low altitude. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05630HI), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05630HI), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05630HI), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05630HI), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05630HI), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05630HI), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger were returning home after attending a fly-in at another airport. The passenger reported that, during the descent to land, the pilot spotted a boat on the lake that they were overflying and began to follow it at low altitude. The pilot then made a steep turn, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. The pilot then lost airplane control, and the airplane subsequently impacted the water. The pilot and passenger were rescued by nearby boaters. The airplane wreckage was not recovered from the water; neither the pilot nor passenger reported any anomalies with the airplane before the accident. ## Factual narrative On July 4, 2014, at 1405 central daylight time, a Slaughter CH601-HDS ultralight airplane, N4263, impacted Lake Palestine, Texas, near Frankston, Texas, while maneuvering at low altitude. The pilot was seriously injured and the passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Mineola Airport (3F9), Mineola, Texas, and was en route to Aero Estates Airpark (T25), Frankston, Texas. According to statements provided to FAA Inspectors and law enforcement officers, the pilot and his son were returning to T25 after attending a fly-in at 3F9. The son said that during their descent to T25, the pilot spotted a boat and began to follow it at low altitude. The pilot then made a steep turn and stalled the airplane, lost control, and impacted the water. The pilot and passenger were rescued by nearby boaters. The wreckage remained in the lake and was not available for examination. Neither occupant indicated there were any system malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident and indicated fuel exhaustion did not occur. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4263](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4263-2018-03-14), registration cancelled 2018-03-14, S/N 6-1859 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SLAUGHTER MIKE CH601-HDS (HDS) - Registry model: [Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS](https://openairdocs.org/model/slaughter-mike-ch601-hds) (registry code 05630HI) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 6-1859 - Engines: reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Buster Gary C - Registered owner: Buster Gary C - Airworthiness certificate: Unknown - Departed: 3F9, MINEOLA, TX - Destination: T25, FRANKSTON, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: front ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 6 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: KTYR, 16 nm away ## 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 20140704011819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140704011819A), Jul 4, 2014: Slaughter Mike CH601-HDS, Frankston, TX, Destroyed. On the morning of July 4, 2014, the day of the accident, pilot and passneger flew N4263 from their home base of aero estates (T25) to attend a fly-in event at… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 11, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89614. 401 KB in all. - FAA Inspector’s Statement (item 1, .PDF, 262 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426225&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%E2%80%99s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Email (item 2, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426226&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Email-Redacted.PDF - Map – Impact Location (item 3, .PDF, 1 photo, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426227&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20%E2%80%93%20Impact%20Location-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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.