Amateur-built VENTURE accident near San Marcos, Texas, July 24, 1991
On July 24, 1991 at about 3:25 pm local time, a amateur-built VENTURE, registered N7PZ, was destroyed in an accident near San Marcos, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING AIRSPEED RESULTING IN A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1991 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- San Marcos, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VENTURE
- Registration
- N7PZ · registry record · serial 21
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF HIS HOME BASE AIRPORT IN HIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE. AFTER DEPARTING FROM THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED IN A LEFT TURN ON BASE TO FINAL APPROACH. EYEWITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO BANK LEFT AND TIGHTENED THE TURN BEFORE IT NOSED OVER OUT OF CONTROL TO IMPACT THE GROUND. SEVERAL WITNESSES MONITORED AN EXEMPLAR FLIGHT DURING THE INVESTIGATION AND NOTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE SLOWER IN THE PATTERN COMPARED TO THE DEMONSTRATION AIRPLANE. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND TO ANY AIRPLANE SYSTEM DURING THE INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA COORDINATOR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,770 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 3,670 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1991; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-G1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T98 at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
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.
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.