Taylorcraft DC-65 accident near Boerne, Texas, December 9, 1990
On December 9, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Taylorcraft DC-65, registered N61080, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boerne, Texas (Grier airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO CLIMB OVER OBSTACLES DUE TO ENCOUNTERING A DOWNDRAFT WHICH EXCEEDED THE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS AND THE DOWNDRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Boerne, Texas · Grier · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft DC-65 · all DC-65s on the register
- Registration
- N61080 · registry record · serial 6238
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM RUNWAY 22, THE PILOT ENTERED A CLIMBING LEFT TURN AND ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS AND A DOWNDRAFT AS HE CLEARED THE TREES THAT SURROUNDED THE SOD STRIP. HE WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE DESCENT PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR STRIKING TREES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND THE GROUND. LOCAL WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM 220 DEGREES AT 15 GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE STRIP WAS SURROUNDED BY TREES AND LOW HILLS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,556 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 1990; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 4:00 pm
- Destination: HDO Hondo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,500 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SAT, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 FTW91LA022.