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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 24, 2012 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 2012
- Place
- Casterville, Texas · Casterville Municipal Airport · cases near this 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 1, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Email to NTSB | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N602BV: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Smith AEROSTAR 601 124 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Smith 184 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER 4,223 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER 4,223 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Houston/Southwest Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,061 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,986 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN12CA202.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.