North American AT-6D accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, April 30, 2022
On April 30, 2022 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1944 North American AT-6D, registered N29947, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Fredericksburg, Texas (Gillespie County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to a failure of the No. 1 cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2022 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fredericksburg, Texas · Gillespie County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6D, built 1944 · all AT-6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N29947 · registry record · serial 42-85697A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he completed a preflight inspection and engine run-up with no anomalies noted. During the initial climb after takeoff, immediately after retracting the landing gear, the pilot noticed white smoke from the engine cowling. A few seconds later, the engine “coughed loudly” and lost total power. The pilot landed the airplane on the remaining runway; however, the airplane exited the runway and collided with a runway light. resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and left aileron. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors completed an examination of the airplane and assisted the owner’s mechanics with removing the engine for transport. They discovered that the No. 1 cylinder was cracked around its circumference. They did not observe any other anomalies during the examination. Postaccident engine examination confirmed that the No. 1 cylinder head fractured near the rear spark plug on the exhaust side. The mechanic noted it was likely that during the accident takeoff, the cylinder head separated due to pre-ignition or detonation stresses, which no longer allowed the push rods to operate the valves and resulted in a loss of engine power. A recurring FAA airworthiness directive (AD) was applicable for this airplane and related to visual inspections to prevent cylinder head cracking. The AD was completed 164.7 flight hours before the accident and was due to be completed again in 85.3 hours.
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 engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,702 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,778 as pilot in command; 1,005 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,694 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN 1 (piston); 11,694 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from KT82
Weather report (METAR): KT82 301815Z AUTO 36006KT 10SM SCT038 BKN060 28/18 A2991 RMK AO2 T02790178
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N29947 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN22LA187.