Fratus XP-23 HAWK N3990U

Summary

On 26 September 1995 at about 23:50 local time, a Fratus XP-23 HAWK registered N3990U was involved in an accident near Joshua, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 September 1995 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Joshua, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.4601, -97.3797

Aircraft

Fratus XP-23 HAWK

Registration

N3990U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Burleson

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA404

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to see and avoid the wires.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During takeoff, witnesses reported that the airplane's engine sounded rough. The airplane climbed steeply to approximately 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the ground, and the engine no longer sounded rough. The airplane then circled back around to the north end of the field maintaining altitude as if the pilot was planning to land or do a fly-by for the camera. As the airplane lined up with the runway it appeared too low to clear the wires. Just before the airplane hit the wire, one witness reported that he heard the power increase. An examination of airplane and engine did not reveal any anomalies. A friend of the pilot who was familiar with the airplane stated that visibility from the cockpit was poor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.