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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2022 · about 7:18 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Huntington, Indiana · Huntington Municipal Airport · 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
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Front view of airplane at accident site
Photo 2 – View of accident from runway perspective
Photo 3 – View of buckled right wing of airplane.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 August 24, 2022. 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 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N515SA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American AT-6 Texan 228 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340 1,229 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Huntington Municipal · nearest airport
- Stuart Powell Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,700 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA193.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.