North American AT-6D accident near Huntington, Indiana, May 2, 2022
On May 2, 2022 at about 7:18 pm local time, a 1943 North American AT-6D, registered N515SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Huntington, Indiana (Huntington 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of directional control during landing that resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2022 · about 7:18 pm local time
- Place
- Huntington, Indiana · Huntington Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6D, built 1943 · all AT-6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N515SA · registry record · serial 8814953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot of the personal flight reported that while landing the tailwheel equipped airplane, a gust of wind was encountered at touchdown resulting in the right wing contacting the ground. He applied engine power to regain control of the airplane but applied too much power, and the airplane swerved to the left. During the swerve, the right main landing gear strut broke, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane partially exited the side of the runway. The right wing impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,740 hours in all; 362 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,462 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 22, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 5,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVK Davison KY at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KFWA, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFWA 021954Z VRB03KT 10SM BKN033 BKN250 14/08 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP177 T01440078=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 CEN22LA193.