Boeing PT-17 N4106Y

Summary

On 2 October 2021 at about 16:05 local time, a Boeing PT-17 registered N4106Y was involved in an accident near Winnie, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 October 2021 at 16:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Winnie, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.8202, -94.3841

Aircraft

Boeing PT-17

Registration

N4106Y

Category

Airplane

Year built

1942

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN22LA003

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s decision to takeoff from a road with obstacles in his flight path and his failure to maintain control of the airplane when encountering changing winds from approaching thunderstorms which resulted in the airplane impacting signal light cables.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that while taking off from a road, the airplane encountered a sudden wind shift which after becoming airborne caused the airplane to settle. As the airplane approached power lines above a road signal light and cables, the pilot decided to fly under the power lines. During the descent, the airplane impacted the signal light cables. The airplane yawed to the left, struck the ground, and nosed over into a ditch on the side of the road coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In his NTSB Form 6120.1, the pilot reported that he put pressure on himself to fly the airplane to shelter due to approaching thunderstorms and would not recommend second guessing any approaching weather conditions. He stated that the abrupt wind changes from possible downdrafts were factors in the airplane’s inability to clear the obstacles in its flight path.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.