Amateur-built TAILWIND W-10 accident near Pipe Creek, Texas, May 17, 2012
On May 17, 2012 at about 6:20 pm local time, a amateur-built TAILWIND W-10, registered N625JS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Pipe Creek, Texas (Freedom Springs Ranch Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inadvertent collision with a deer during takeoff and the airplane’s subsequent departure from the runway and impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2012 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pipe Creek, Texas · Freedom Springs Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TAILWIND W-10
- Registration
- N625JS · registry record · serial JS 466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as the airplane had accelerated to lift-off speed a deer appeared directly in front of the propeller. The airplane struck the deer and veered left. The airplane's left wing was substantially damaged when it subsequently impacted a tree. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane before the deer strike.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 838 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 663 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 977.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 26, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TA66 Pipe Creek TX at 6:20 pm
- Destination: TA66 Pipe Creek TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 2,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from ERV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N625JS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN12CA328.