Beech A100 accident near Palestine, Texas, October 18, 2010
On October 18, 2010 at about 5:53 pm local time, a Beech A100, registered N1TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Palestine, Texas (Palestine Municipal Airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a flock of birds while the airplane was descending through a cloud layer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2010 · about 5:53 pm local time
- Place
- Palestine, Texas · Palestine Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A100 · all A100s on the register
- Registration
- N1TR · registry record · serial B-238
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with several birds as it descended though a cloud layer. The flight crew reported that there were no observed flight control issues; however, they elected to return to the departure airport and landed without incident. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed bird remains along the substantially damaged left wing.
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
- Birdstrike during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,930 hours in all; 994 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 2,799 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 4, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,958 hours in all; 3,758 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4,462 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,022 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 7, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 10,600 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney Canada PT-6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney Canada PT-6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GKY Arlington TX at 5:25 pm
- Destination: PSN Palestine TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KCRS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11TA027.