# NTSB FTW96LA035: Helio HT-295, N68889, Llano, TX, November 1, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 1, 1995, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Llano, TX - Coordinates: 30.749137, -98.669944 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.7491&lon=-98.6699&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 14, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19702 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW96LA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19702/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW96LA035 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT AND HIS INABILITY TO OUTCLIMB RISING TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE RISING TERRAIN AND HIGH WINDS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - initial climb - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - downdraft (cause) - climb - not possible, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) ## Analysis THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE GRASS STRIP FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT AROUND THE RANCH. THE PILOT SELECTED 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS, AND THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE PRIOR TO REACHING THE MIDFIELD POINT OF THE 2,600-FOOT RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THE CLIMB SUBSIDED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE NEARLY LEVELED OFF AS THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES TO IMPROVE THE CLIMB PERFORMANCE. HE MAINTAINED CONTROLLED FLIGHT AS HE MANAGED TO AVOID THE LARGER TREES WHILE LOOKING FOR AN OPEN AREA. CONTROL WAS LOST AS THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO IMPACTING TREES. A 10 TO 20 KNOT HEADWIND PREVAILED AND THE PILOT STATED THAT A DOWNDRAFT WAS 'CREATED BY THE OROGRAPHIC EFFECT OF THE WIND BLOWING OVER THE RIDGE LINE.' SEVERAL WORKERS AT THE RANCH WITNESSED THE AIRPLANE 'ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB IN THE DIRECTION OF RISING TERRAIN WITHOUT GAINING ALTITUDE.' ## Factual narrative On November 1, 1995, at 1600 central standard time, a Helio HT- 295, N68889, was destroyed following a loss of control during initial takeoff climb near Llano, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot was seriously injured, one passenger sustained minor injuries, and two other passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a business flight by High Tech Inc., of Dallas, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight for which a flight plan was not filed. According to the law enforcement officer who interviewed the pilot at the hospital, the aircraft departed from a grass airstrip at the Hickory Bluff Ranch near Llano, Texas, for a local flight around the ranch. Several workers at the ranch witnessed the airplane "attempting to climb in the direction of rising terrain without gaining altitude." In a telephone interview conducted by the investigator in charge, and in enclosed NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that he selected a 30 degree flap setting as called for a short field takeoff. During the takeoff roll the engine sounded "normal" and the airplane broke ground prior to reaching mid field and a climb attitude was established. The pilot added that as the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above the ground, the "climb went from positive to approximately level," attitude as he approached rising terrain. The pilot further stated that he elected to retract the flaps to a 20 degree setting to "improve on the climb performance" by reducing drag. The pilot attempted to maintain controlled flight and "flew around the larger trees looking for an open area" but the "rising terrain towards the ridge made it impossible to avoid contact." Control was lost as the pilot "pulled the joke back" and slowed the airplane prior to impact with the trees. The airplane came to rest approximately a 1/2 mile from the point of departure and a post-impact fire destroyed the airplane. The pilot and the front seat passenger of the airplane told a law enforcement officer that the engine "was operating normally during the flight." On the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot stated that a 10 to 20 knot headwind prevailed at the time of his departure from the 2,600 foot airstrip. During the telephonic interview with the investigator in charge, the pilot attributed the deterioration in climb performance to a downdraft "created by orographic effect of the wind blowing over the ridgeline." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N68889](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68889-1997-03-24), registration cancelled 1997-03-24, S/N 1718 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HELIO HT-295 - Registry model: [Helio HT-295](https://openairdocs.org/model/helio-ht-295) (registry code 4300803) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1718 - Airframe hours: 1887 - Engines: LYCOMING GO-480-G1A6 295 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: High Test Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 8, 1995, 193 hours before - Departed: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 5,992 total, 483 in this make and model, 5,697 as pilot in command, 132 in the last 90 days, 39 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 10 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 19951101035559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951101035559A), Nov 1, 1995: Helio HT295, Llano, TX, Destroyed. Taking off lee side off ridge. Encountered downdraft. Unable clear rising terrain struck trees. 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.