Aerovodochody L-29 DELFIN accident near Combine, Texas, December 13, 2012
On December 13, 2012 at about 5:02 pm local time, a Aerovodochody L-29 DELFIN, registered N29NR, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Combine, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined during examination of the available evidence because of extensive impact damage and postimpact fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 2012 · about 5:02 pm local time
- Place
- Combine, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerovodochody L-29 DELFIN · all L-29 DELFINs on the register
- Registration
- N29NR · no longer on the register · serial 194144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed with a passenger on a local flight to give the passenger a ride in the foreign military jet trainer. A witness reported seeing and hearing the airplane and stated that he did not think the airplane was doing aerobatics. He stated that changes in the sound of the airplane's engine power were noticeable and that at one time he saw that the airplane's nose was higher than the tail; however, he did not see the crash. The airplane impacted terrain in a large open field. Examination revealed that the airplane was largely destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The remaining debris consisted mainly of the aft fuselage section, which contained the engine, and the airplane's tail section. The landing gear and flaps appeared to be in the retracted position. A section of the rear cockpit canopy was examined for evidence of collision with a bird; however, no evidence of such an impact was discovered. The examination of the airplane did not reveal any reason for the airplane's impact with terrain.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,996.7 hours in all; 999 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,493 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 16, 2012
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Motorlet M-701C (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Cnr Aircraft INC
The flight
- Departed from: KLNC Lancaster TX
- Destination: KLNC Lancaster TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from KLNC, 11 miles away
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.
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 CEN13FA100.