# NTSB CEN25FA388: North American T-6G, N32SZ, Louise, TX, September 20, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: September 20, 2025, 17:24 local (22:24 UTC) - Place: Louise, TX · cornfield - Coordinates: 29.123523, -96.406133 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1235&lon=-96.4061&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 201055 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25FA388 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201055/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA388 ## Preliminary report On September 20, 2025, about 1724 central daylight time, a North American T-6G airplane, N32SZ, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Lousie, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. A local fly-in was being held with a flour drop competition between the various attendees which included the accident airplane. During the competition, the accident airplane was sequenced behind two Boeing Stearman airplanes and ahead of a fourth Stearman. The accident airplane had already completed one competition pass and had reentered the left traffic pattern when the accident occurred (see figure 1). Figure 1. ADS-B flight track. A witness cellphone video recording of the accident showed a fifth airplane sitting on the runway with the lead Stearman passing over head on short final. A second Stearman was seen in the distance on a left base traffic pattern leg. The accident airplane was seen in an inverted right descending roll while on a left base for the runway. The airplane was then seen rolling left to about a right 90° bank and entering a nose down pitch attitude before disappearing behind a tree line. (see figure 2). A witness, who was seated in the fourth Stearman, reported that the accident airplane was in a left turn for the base leg when it suddenly “snapped right” and then entered a “falling leaf” descent that continued until it impacted terrain. Figure 2. Screen capture from a witness cellphone video recording. The airplane impacted a flat, harvested corn field about ¾ miles northwest of the runway, and the impact was consistent with a slight left bank nose up attitude. A shallow impact crater, consistent with the forward fuselage and engine, was noted in the initial debris field. Postaccident examination of the fuselage showed upward bending with various failures of the lower fuselage tubular structure. Both propeller blades were found attached to the hub. One blade had S-type bending with chordwise scratch marks, and one blade had a separation about 28 inches from the propeller root. The front seat cockpit throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were found all full forward with discontinuity with the back seat engine controls. Flight control continuity was established for all control surfaces to their respective cockpit controls. The engine was found partially separated from the fuselage. The fuel strainer screen was found separated from the bowl with no debris noted. Both cockpit fuel selector levers were observed in the left fuel tank position with the fuel selector separated and found within the debris path. Fuel was observed in the fuel selector valve and various separated fuel lines. The left fuel tank was found compromised, and the right fuel tank was intact with fuel observed in the tank. A Sentry mini ADS-B receiver and iPad Mini were recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders lab for data download. Theairplane was retained for further examination. ## 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) (defining event); cases with it: [North American T-6G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N32SZ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N32SZ), registered now, S/N 49-3221A, built 1959 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN T-6G - Registry model: [North American T-6G](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-6g) (registry code 6400432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49-3221A - Year built: 1959 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sound of Freedom LLC - Registered owner: Sound of Freedom LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: ADS-B, Onboard weather, Stall warning system ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KARM, 23 nm away - METAR: KARM 202235Z AUTO 14011KT 10SM CLR 30/21 A2995 RMK AO2 T02980210 TSNO= ## 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 20250920014759A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250920014759A), Sep 20, 2025: North American T-6G, Louise, TX, Destroyed, 2 fatal. The accident aircraft was conducting a series of low approaches over a private airfield. After completing an initial low pass, the aircraft entered the traffic… 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.