Amateur-built HIGHLANDER accident near Rusk, Texas, March 26, 2025
On March 26, 2025 at about 3:23 pm local time, a 2024 amateur-built HIGHLANDER, registered N7770J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Rusk, Texas (Cherokee County airport). It was a flight test 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
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2025 · about 3:23 pm local time
- Place
- Rusk, Texas · Cherokee County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HIGHLANDER, built 2024
- Registration
- N7770J · registry record · serial JA631-06-21
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was attempting to land with a crosswind, and upon touchdown, a gust of wind lifted the right wing. The pilot attempted to correct with full right aileron but was unsuccessful. The airplane’s left wing contacted the ground, and the airplane came to rest inverted resulting in substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 3, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 20, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Yamaha 998 Sidewinde (piston); 4 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T25 Frankston TX at 3:07 pm
- Destination: JSO Jacksonville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,006 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am from KJSO
Weather report (METAR): KJSO 261515Z AUTO 05006KT 10SM OVC065 20/13 A3024 RMK AO2 T02030132,M
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 CEN25LA137.