- Date
- July 7, 1990, 16:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- New Braunfels, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19900707024622A19900707024621A
- Case key
- 23027
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
Failure of the pilot in the overtaking aircraft (N97RJ) to see-and-avoid the aircraft that had been leading (N911HG). Factors related to the accident were: the lack of ability for the pilot in the lead aircraft (911HG) to be able see other aircraft in the race, and self-induced pressure for both pilots to maneuver their aircraft in an effort to get a winning advantage.
Failure of the pilot in the overtaking aircraft (N97RJ) to see-and-avoid the aircraft that had been leading (N911HG). Factors related to the accident were: the lack of ability for the pilot in the lead aircraft (N911HG) to be able see other aircraft in the race, and self-induced pressure for both pilots to maneuver their aircraft in an effort to get a winning advantage.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During an air race involving seven formula-one aircraft, two of the planes collided during a turn around a pylon. One of the aircraft was a mingess-bennett M30, N97RJ; the other was a cassuit 11M, N911HG. According to the pilot of N911HG, his aircraft was in the lead with the other planes closing. A video tape showed that N97RJ was descending & accelerating in the turn. N97RJ leveled before impact, but its prop (then its left wing) hit the right wing of N911HG. N97RJ then went out of control & crashed, but N911HG was landed successfully with its right wing & aileron damaged.
During an air race involving seven formula-one aircraft, two of the planes collided during a turn around a pylon. One of the aircraft was a mingess-bennett M30, N97RJ; the other was a cassuit 11M, N911HG. According to the pilot of N911HG, his aircraft was in the lead with the other planes closing. A video tape showed that N97RJ was descending & accelerating in the turn. N97RJ leveled before impact, but its prop (then its left wing) hit the right wing of N911HG. N97RJ then went out of control & crashed, but N911HG was landed successfully with its right wing & aileron damaged.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N97RJ
- Reported as
- Mingess-Bennett M30
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1838
- Airframe hours
- 135
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jones, Henry W.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 6, 1990 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 3R5
- Destination
- 3R5
- Airport
- 3RS · New Braundels
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.
- Registration
- N911HG
- Reported as
- Cassuit 11M
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2A
- Airframe hours
- 589
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gibson, Robert L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 1990 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- 3R5
- Destination
- 3R5
- Airport
- 3RS · New Braundels, runway 17, 5,370 × 150 ft, concrete
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N97RJ
- Age
- 69
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 10,171 total · 135 in this make and model · 10,171 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N911HG
- Age
- 45
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 4,880 total · 320 in this make and model · 4,700 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RND, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.