Amateur-built SE5A accident near Kingsbury, Texas, February 27, 2020
On February 27, 2020 at about 6:25 pm local time, a 2017 amateur-built SE5A, registered N685SE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kingsbury, Texas (Old Kingsbury Aerodrome airport). It was a flight test 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 a proper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and his subsequent loss of directional control, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2020 · about 6:25 pm local time · cases in 2020
- Place
- Kingsbury, Texas · Old Kingsbury Aerodrome · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SE5A, built 2017
- Registration
- N685SE · registry record · serial 6851
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the initial touchdown was harder than expected and that the airplane bounced to the left. He was able to correct back to the right, but the airplane bounced again. When the airplane touched down the third time, it subsequently ground looped and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or deficiencies that led to the accident.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › 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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright - Hisso E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Training Services Inc
The flight
- Departed from: 85TE Kingsbury TX at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 85TE Kingsbury TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from SEQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photograph of Airplane Wreckage | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N685SE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N685SE on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Wright - Hisso E · as the NTSB recorded it
- Old Kingsbury Aerodrome · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N685SE 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN20CA105.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.