# NTSB CEN25LA155: Quicksilver MX II, Brady, TX, April 11, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 11, 2025, 17:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place: Brady, TX
- Coordinates: 31.131835, -99.335794 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.1318&lon=-99.3358&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA-FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200013
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA155
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200013/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200013
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA155

## Probable cause

The airplane’s encounter with a dust devil, which resulted in a loss of airplane control at a low altitude.

## Findings

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

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)
- [Wind: dust devil/whirlwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060/cases.md)
- [Wind: dust devil/whirlwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060/cases.md)
- [Wind: dust devil/whirlwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Maneuvering: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)
- [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that while conducting a slow flight maneuver for flight testing purposes in an unregistered airplane, he felt a “heavy push up” on the airplane to about 75 ft above ground level. The right wing then lifted and the pilot lost control of the airplane which entered a left descending spiral. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain and came to rest inverted. A witness reported that he observed dust devil weather activity where the airplane was flying at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and the empennage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: QUICKSILVER MX II (Sprint)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: UKN
- Year built: 2025
- Airframe hours: 1
- Engines: Rotax 582EGB 64 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Unknown, April 10, 2025
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 74; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 325 total, 325 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 75 °F

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200013. 3.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18959427&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Scan2025-06-13_123110(2)_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� witness telephone interview (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18968754&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 155 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18959764&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.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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