Smith AEROSTAR 601P accident near Casterville, Texas, March 24, 2012
On March 24, 2012 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Smith AEROSTAR 601P, registered N602BV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Casterville, Texas (Casterville Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane while circling to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2012 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Casterville, Texas · Casterville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Smith AEROSTAR 601P · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N602BV · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0338-099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew a global positioning system approach and, though he was able to see the runway upon reaching the missed approach point, he stated that he was not able to land the airplane. He then decided to circle to land with full flaps while maintaining an airspeed of 140 mph. The airplane entered an “unusually high” sink rate during the turn; the pilot added full power and leveled the wings, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane impacted the ground off the end of and to the right of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Approach-circling (IFR) Loss of control in flight defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,402 hours in all; 267 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 5, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 2011; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AXH Arcola TX at 2:15 pm
- Destination: CBV Casterville TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from CVB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 CEN12CA202.