- Date
- April 17, 1991, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Port Lavaca, TX
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4695YPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910417011369A
- Case key
- 23326
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 inadvertent stall at an altitude too low for recovery. A factor was the pilot's low pass.
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
The airplane executed a steep left turn, stalled, and descended nose low into a tree and the ground while searching for a pipe leak in an oil field. Inspection of the wreckage revealed adeqaute fuel, continuity and no mechanical malfunction. Engine disassembly failed to uncover any discrepancy. A witness observed the airplane flying low to the ground and slowed down to watch. The witness saw the airplane circle and go down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4695Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7309019
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Abner M. Ussery
- Registered owner
- Abner M. Ussery
- Departed
- NONE · El Maton, TX
- Destination
- 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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 401 total · 337 in this make and model · 401 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.