Smith Aerostar 601P accident near Sinton, Texas, August 4, 2005
On August 4, 2005 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Smith Aerostar 601P, registered N15BA, was destroyed in an accident near Sinton, Texas (San Patricio County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff and the subsequent loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing factors were the attempted operation of the airplane with known deficiencies in the equipment and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2005 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sinton, Texas · San Patricio County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith Aerostar 601P
- Registration
- N15BA · registry record · serial 61P-0382-126
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff for a maintenance check flight, both engines on the twin-engine airplane experienced a loss of engine power. The 7,200-hour pilot had recently purchased the airplane, which had not been flown for nearly four years. The pilot, who is also a certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic, completed the inspection of the airplane prior to takeoff. During the engine run-up, the pilot noticed that the RPM and manifold pressure on the left engine did not correspond with those of the right engine. During the takeoff roll, the pilot believed the RPM on both engines began to rise to near acceptable levels, but not entirely. However, he did not abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne for a short time, and then began to descend into trees before impacting the ground. The reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,100 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,943 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T69 Sinton TX
- Destination: T69
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,323 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DFW05CA201.