Amateur-built Highlander accident near Brazos, Texas, November 27, 2025
On November 27, 2025 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built Highlander, registered N957DK, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Brazos, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level maneuvering along a river.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2025 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Brazos, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Highlander, built 2015
- Registration
- N957DK · registry record · serial JA268-06-12
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that he was outside when he saw the accident airplane maneuvering about 30 to 50 ft above the ground along a river. He remarked that the airplane seemed low. The witness said that the engine sounded like it was operating normally and the airplane was not flying erratically. The witness saw the airplane bank and then it struck a powerline. There was a bright flash of light, the airplane disappeared from his view, and then he heard a loud bang. The witness went to the other side of his property and saw that the airplane was upside down on a sandbar along the river. He estimated that the powerline was about 40 to 45 ft above ground. The pilot was seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wing struts, and engine mount. The investigator in charge made several attempts to obtain a statement from the pilot. At the time this report was written, the pilot had not provided a statement pertaining to the accident.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KCLL, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCLL 272053Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 19/01 A3036
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane
Photograph 2 – Accident airplane
Photograph 3 – Broken engine mount
Photograph 4 – Bent wing strut
Photograph 5 – Bent wing strutThe 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2026. 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 | Memorandum of Record-witness | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 1 page | 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.