Amateur-built Star-Lite accident near San Antonio, Texas, December 1, 2020
On December 1, 2020 at about 6:50 pm local time, a 2017 amateur-built Star-Lite, registered N322SL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Antonio, Texas (San Geronimo Airpark 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 decision to land on a soft terrain which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2020 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Geronimo Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Star-Lite, built 2017
- Registration
- N322SL · registry record · serial 121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the local flight and in the airport traffic pattern, he’d decided to land on the grass about 50 ft short of the asphalt runway. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear dug into the soft terrain which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount which was considered part of the airplane primary structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Wet/muddy terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 629 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 4, 2020; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from KHDO, 36 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHDO 011851Z AUTO 19011G16KT 10SM CLR 14/M06 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP196 T01441056
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 17, 2021. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.