Amateur-built CAVALIER SA102.5 accident near Mcalester, Oklahoma, July 25, 1991
On July 25, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built CAVALIER SA102.5, registered N413P, was destroyed in an accident near Mcalester, Oklahoma (Mcalester airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED FLIGHT INTO IMC AND HIS SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mcalester, Oklahoma · Mcalester · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CAVALIER SA102.5 CAVALIER S
- Registration
- N413P · registry record · serial SA1025-72215
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAYLIGHT FLIGHT FROM ENNIS, OKLAHOMA, TO OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT TRANSITIONED FROM VFR TO IFR FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE FORECASTED INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AND EXPRESSED HIS CONCERN AS TO THE WEATHER. HE DISCUSSED THE WEATHER WITH OTHER PILOTS, AND THEY RECOMMENDED THAT HE NOT PROCEED WITH THE FLIGHT UNTIL THE WEATHER FRONT HAD PASSED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH NO FORWARD MOVEMENT AND WITH EVIDENCE OF SOME ROTATION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 553 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,301 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 10, 1991; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F41 Ennis TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: OSH Oshkosh WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from MLC, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.