Piper PA-11 accident near Leander, Texas, June 19, 2010
On June 19, 2010 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-11, registered N4969M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Leander, Texas (Kittie Hill airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2010 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leander, Texas · Kittie Hill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-11 · all PA-11s on the register
- Registration
- N4969M · registry record · serial 11-456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a low final approach, the airplane encountered a downdraft over an area of trees. The pilot initiated full engine power; however, the airplane continued to settle until the right landing gear impacted the top branches of a tree. The pilot was able to continue the approach and landed successfully. Once back to the hangar the pilot exited the airplane and discovered that the fuselage had sustained structural damage during the impact.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,017 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 77T Leander TX
- Destination: 77T Leander TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.