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).
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 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time · cases in 1990
- 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 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N61080 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Taylorcraft DC-65 49 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Taylorcraft 1,898 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental A65 32 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Hondo Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,235 since 1982 · 1,062 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,911 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW91LA022.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.