Sukhoi SU-26 accident near Slidell, Texas, September 28, 2015
On September 28, 2015, a 1989 Sukhoi SU-26, registered N596TJ, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Slidell, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's attempt to recover from an aerobatic maneuver at too low of an altitude to make a safe recovery.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2015
- Place
- Slidell, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sukhoi SU-26, built 1989 · all SU-26s on the register
- Registration
- N596TJ · no longer on the register · serial 01-05
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported that he had been practicing aerobatic maneuvers for an upcoming airshow. He could not recall the events leading up to the accident. Based on the impact scars in the field, it was determined that the airplane struck the ground in a slightly nose-high, wings-level attitude. No mechanical defects with the airplane or engine were noted. It is likely that the pilot conducted an aerobatic maneuver and attempted to recover from it at too low of an altitude for a safe recovery.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 11, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,743 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vedeneyev M-14P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: XA68 Slidell TX at 11:30 pm
- Destination: XA68 Slidell TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KDTO, 11 miles away
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.
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 CEN15LA428.