Amateur-built B-2 accident near Sisterdale, Texas, June 30, 2011
On June 30, 2011 at about 4:45 pm local time, a amateur-built B-2, registered N6917, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Sisterdale, Texas. 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 obstacles.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 2011 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sisterdale, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built B-2
- Registration
- N6917 · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot was flying his airplane low around a private airport when the tailwheel and propeller hit several powerlines. The airplane descended to the ground and struck the railroad tracks of a scaled miniature railroad directly below the powerlines. The impact with the ground bent the bottom of the rudder and the right wing and resulted in the separation of the main landing gear. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies or failures.
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 maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5C1 San Antonio TX
- Destination: 5C1 San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KSAT
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.