Amateur-built RANS S6ES accident near Waxahachie, Texas, May 29, 2010
On May 29, 2010 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built RANS S6ES, registered N9870V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Waxahachie, Texas (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed during takeoff, resulting in a stall/msuh.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2010 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Waxahachie, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RANS S6ES
- Registration
- N9870V · no longer on the register · serial 312941
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taking off everything seemed normal until rotation. the pilot then noticed that the airplane's nose seemed heavy and slow to lift off. He lowered the nose to gain airspeed and rotated again to achieve only a "very flat fly out." About 100 feet above the ground he initiated a right turn to avoid power lines. As he rolled out he was at about 40 miles per hour on the airspeed indicator and he could not control the pitch with full aft stick. The airplane started to descend and impacted the ground in a hay field. Examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies. According to the airplane designer, best climb is attained at 65 knots and at 45 knots the elevator will feel mushy. The pilot and owner did not submit a NTSB Form 6120.1.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 110 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Waxahachie TX
- Destination: N/A Waxahachie TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.