- Date
- October 2, 2021, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place
- Winnie, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4106YBoeing PT-17
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20211002016619A
- Case key
- 104041
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 decision to takeoff from a road with obstacles in his flight path and his failure to maintain control of the airplane when encountering changing winds from approaching thunderstorms which resulted in the airplane impacting signal light cables.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that while taking off from a road, the airplane encountered a sudden wind shift which after becoming airborne caused the airplane to settle. As the airplane approached power lines above a road signal light and cables, the pilot decided to fly under the power lines. During the descent, the airplane impacted the signal light cables. The airplane yawed to the left, struck the ground, and nosed over into a ditch on the side of the road coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In his NTSB Form 6120.1, the pilot reported that he put pressure on himself to fly the airplane to shelter due to approaching thunderstorms and would not recommend second guessing any approaching weather conditions. He stated that the abrupt wind changes from possible downdrafts were factors in the airplane’s inability to clear the obstacles in its flight path.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4106Y
- Reported as
- Boeing PT-17
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-7018
- Built
- 1942
- Airframe hours
- 4,035
- Engine
- Cont Motor W670 SERIES, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 5, 2021
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
- 55
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2020
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,800 total · 317 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KBMT, 17 nm away
- METAR
- KBMT 021555Z AUTO 11005KT 10SM BKN070 OVC085 28/24 A3006 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW T02810242
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 16, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB 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.