North American AT-6A N42BA

Summary

On 18 July 2002 at about 14:30 local time, a North American AT-6A registered N42BA, operated by Robert E. Snyder, was involved in an accident near Albany, 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

18 July 2002 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Albany, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.9161, -99.5092

Aircraft

North American AT-6A

Registration

N42BA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert E. Snyder

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albany → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02FA211

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

One witness reported the airplane flew over between 500-700 feet agl, "wagged his wings" and departed the area; a second witness reported the airplane perform a barrel roll type maneuver 1-2 times, and then departed the area. Another witness observed the airplane flying at an estimated 300 feet agl. A witness, who was on an oil drilling rig located 0.4 nautical miles from the accident site, observed the airplane in level flight (approximately 500 feet agl) fly by the rig, climb, turn left in a 30 degree bank, and departed the area. Witnesses reported the prevailing winds were 5 to 10 miles per hour, skies clear with a few clouds, and the temperature approximately 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The airplane impacted a rocky creek bed bordered on one side by a 74-foot ravine. Mesquite trees, brush, grasses, and cactus, were found in the vicinity of the main wreckage and the surrounding ranch land. Deformation of the airplane and the physical evidence at the accident site was consistent with a near vertical left wing low attitude at the time of the accident. Impact forces destroyed the airplane. No evidence of an in-flight mechanical and/or flight control malfunction was found that would have rendered the airplane uncontrollable prior to the impact. In the previous 6 months, the 3,861.1-hour private pilot logged 39.5 hours (3.8 in the last 30 days) in the accident aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.