Amateur-built M30 and amateur-built 11M mid-air collision near New Braunfels, Texas, July 7, 1990
On July 7, 1990 at about 9:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built M30 (N97RJ) and amateur-built 11M (N911HG), were involved in a mid-air collision near New Braunfels, Texas (New Braundels airport). 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN THE OVERTAKING AIRCRAFT (N97RJ) TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE AIRCRAFT THAT HAD BEEN LEADING (N911HG). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF ABILITY FOR THE PILOT IN THE LEAD AIRCRAFT (N911HG) TO BE ABLE SEE OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE RACE, AND SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE FOR BOTH PILOTS TO MANEUVER THEIR AIRCRAFT IN AN EFFORT TO GET A WINNING ADVANTAGE.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN THE OVERTAKING AIRCRAFT (N97RJ) TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE AIRCRAFT THAT HAD BEEN LEADING (N911HG). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LACK OF ABILITY FOR THE PILOT IN THE LEAD AIRCRAFT (911HG) TO BE ABLE SEE OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE RACE, AND SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE FOR BOTH PILOTS TO MANEUVER THEIR AIRCRAFT IN AN EFFORT TO GET A WINNING ADVANTAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 1990 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- New Braunfels, Texas · New Braundels · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built M30
- Registration
- N97RJ · registry record · serial 1838
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built 11M
- Registration
- N911HG · registry record · serial 2A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built M30 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AIR RACE INVOLVING SEVEN FORMULA-ONE AIRCRAFT, TWO OF THE PLANES COLLIDED DURING A TURN AROUND A PYLON. ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS A MINGESS-BENNETT M30, N97RJ; THE OTHER WAS A CASSUIT 11M, N911HG. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OF N911HG, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE LEAD WITH THE OTHER PLANES CLOSING. A VIDEO TAPE SHOWED THAT N97RJ WAS DESCENDING & ACCELERATING IN THE TURN. N97RJ LEVELED BEFORE IMPACT, BUT ITS PROP (THEN ITS LEFT WING) HIT THE RIGHT WING OF N911HG. N97RJ THEN WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED, BUT N911HG WAS LANDED SUCCESSFULLY WITH ITS RIGHT WING & AILERON DAMAGED.
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 NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built 11M final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AIR RACE INVOLVING SEVEN FORMULA-ONE AIRCRAFT, TWO OF THE PLANES COLLIDED DURING A TURN AROUND A PYLON. ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS A MINGESS-BENNETT M30, N97RJ; THE OTHER WAS A CASSUIT 11M, N911HG. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OF N911HG, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS IN THE LEAD WITH THE OTHER PLANES CLOSING. A VIDEO TAPE SHOWED THAT N97RJ WAS DESCENDING & ACCELERATING IN THE TURN. N97RJ LEVELED BEFORE IMPACT, BUT ITS PROP (THEN ITS LEFT WING) HIT THE RIGHT WING OF N911HG. N97RJ THEN WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED, BUT N911HG WAS LANDED SUCCESSFULLY WITH ITS RIGHT WING & AILERON DAMAGED.
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 for the amateur-built M30 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,171 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 10,171 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 135 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1990; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 611 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3R5 at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 3R5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from RND, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the amateur-built 11M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,880 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command; 9 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1990; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 809 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3R5 at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 3R5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,370 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 FTW90FA138.