Aviat Aircraft INC A 1B accident near Cypress, Texas, November 15, 2013
On November 15, 2013 at about 7:40 pm local time, a 2003 Aviat Aircraft INC A 1B, registered N721DL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Cypress, Texas (Dan Jones Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing which resulted in an impact with the runway surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2013 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cypress, Texas · Dan Jones Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A 1B, built 2003 · all A 1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N721DL · registry record · serial 2254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was making a wheel landing to a smooth dry grass runway in a tail-wheel equipped airplane. Immediately after touchdown the nose began to pitch down and the pilot's corrective inputs were unsuccessful. The propeller contacted the ground, the tail came up, and the airplane flipped and came to rest inverted. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, left strut, left aileron, vertical fin and rudder. The pilot reported that he did not react quickly enough to the downward pitching attitude.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 29,000 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 23,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 266 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 279 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T51 Cypress TX at 7:30 pm
- Destination: T51 Cypress TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,440 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.