Cessna 140 accident near Burnet, Texas, October 2, 2022
On October 2, 2022 at about 5:48 pm local time, a 1946 Cessna 140, registered N72794, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Burnet, Texas (Burnet 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with an unexpected quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 2022 · about 5:48 pm local time
- Place
- Burnet, Texas · Burnet Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140, built 1946 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72794 · no longer on the register · serial 9980
- 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 a gust of wind caused the tailwheel-equipped airplane to swerve left during landing roll. He was unable to regain directional control of the airplane before it departed off the left runway edge, striking a concrete pad and runway edge light which caused the airplane to nose over. The airplane’s fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder were substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the surface wind was calm when he listened to the airport’s automated weather broadcast about 11 minutes before landing. A weather report issued about 5 minutes after the accident included a 4-knot surface wind from the northeast. Based on available weather information, a variable wind direction likely prevailed at the time of the accident that resulted in an unexpected left quartering tailwind during the landing.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,143 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,105 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 6, 2021
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,733 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 2021; 18.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 4,713 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2TX Salado TX at 5:00 pm
- Destination: BMQ Burnet TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from BMQ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBMQ 021753Z AUTO 04004KT 10SM CLR 27/06 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP212 T02670056 10272 20133 58008=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 20, 2023. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | 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.