- Date
- December 25, 2021, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rainbow, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N64602Boeing A75N1(PT17)
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- 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
- FAA report
- 20211225021379A
- Case key
- 104464
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 improper decision to conduct an intentional low altitude flight which resulted in a collision with wires and impact with terrain.
Findings · 3
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 he was conducting a planned local flight with the passenger and flying about 30 ft above ground level in an open riverbed area, when about the time he elected to climb the airplane out of the area, the airplane impacted unmarked wires that crossed the river. The airplane subsequently impacted in shallow river water and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64602
- Reported as
- Boeing A75N1(PT17)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-3468
- Built
- 1942
- Airframe hours
- 7,363
- Engine
- Lycoming R-680-E3R, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 17, 2021
- Departed
- 0TX0 · Granbury, TX
- Airport
- None
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 25, 2020
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,053 total · 518 in this make and model · 899 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- GDJ, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 28, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 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.