Amateur-built STITS PLAYMATE SA11A accident near Bridgeport, Texas, July 29, 2014
On July 29, 2014 at about 6:05 pm local time, a 1975 amateur-built STITS PLAYMATE SA11A, registered N76WS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bridgeport, Texas (Bridgeport Municipal 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 loss of airplane control during takeoff after encountering rapidly changing wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2014 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Texas · Bridgeport Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STITS PLAYMATE SA11A, built 1975
- Registration
- N76WS · registry record · serial 75
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After refueling the airplane, the pilot observed that the wind direction at the airport had changed about 90 degrees from when he had arrived about 30 minutes earlier. The pilot reported that the wind was now 8 to 10 mph and varying from 050 to 090 degrees, so he chose runway 36 for departure. When the airplane was about 10 to 15 ft above the ground, it made a descending left turn. The pilot stayed in the traffic pattern and then landed on the runway. The pilot checked the flight controls, and they appeared to respond correctly. He departed again, and, after becoming airborne, the airplane made another descending left turn. The airplane did not respond to the pilot's control inputs, so he reduced power and landed in the grass near the runway. The airplane slid across a taxiway and impacted a tree and fence at the airport perimeter. Aileron control continuity was established with no abnormalities noted. The airport's automated weather reporting station reported calm wind and lightning in the distance south of the airport about the time of departure. Based on the events, it's likely that, during the takeoff, the airplane encountered rapidly changing wind conditions due to a nearby storm.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,790 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,860 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 409 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 3, 2014
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KXBP Bridgeport TX at 6:05 pm
- Destination: T67 Hicks Airfield TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,004 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KXBP
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.