Taylorcraft DCO-65 and Interstate S-1B1 mid-air collision near San Antonio, Texas, March 19, 1994
On March 19, 1994 at about 7:51 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Taylorcraft DCO-65 (N596BH) and Interstate S-1B1 (N46951), were involved in a mid-air collision near San Antonio, Texas. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE TAYLORCRAFT PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE DURING FORMATION FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE OTHER PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION REGARDING INFLIGHT FORMATION PROCEDURES.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE DURING FORMATION FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION REGARDING INFLIGHT FORMATION PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1994 · about 7:51 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Taylorcraft DCO-65 · all DCO-65s on the register
- Registration
- N596BH · no longer on the register · serial L-5963
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Interstate S-1B1 · all S-1B1s on the register
- Registration
- N46951 · no longer on the register · serial 168
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Taylorcraft DCO-65 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THREE AIRPLANES, A TAYLORCRAFT (L-2), AN INTERSTATE (L-6), AND A PIPER (L-3) WERE FLYING A PHOTOGRAPHIC FORMATION FLIGHT THAT WAS PLANNED AND BRIEFED. THE BRIEF CALLED FOR THE L-6 TO LEAD THE FLIGHT WITH THE L-2 FLYING IN THE LEFT WING POSITION AND THE L-3 IN RIGHT WING FORMATION WITH ABOUT A TWO WING SPAN SEPARATION. THERE WAS NO PLAN FOR ANY SIGNALS BETWEEN PILOTS. A PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE L-6 WAS TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE L-3, WITH THE CITY IN THE BACKGROUND. THE FORMATION HAD EXECUTED TWO LEFT HAND ORBITS, WITH THE L-2 INSIDE THE TURNS, WHEN THE LEAD AIRPLANE INITIATED ANOTHER LEFT TURN. DURING THAT TURN, THE L-2 COLLIDED WITH THE L-6. THE THIRD AIRPLANE WAS NOT INVOLVED. THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE L-6 AND THE EMPENNAGE OF THE L-2 WAS DAMAGED. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION BOTH AIRPLANES WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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 Interstate S-1B1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THREE AIRPLANES, A TAYLORCRAFT (L-2), AN INTERSTATE (L-6), AND A PIPER (L-3) WERE FLYING A PHOTOGRAPHIC FORMATION FLIGHT THAT WAS PLANNED AND BRIEFED. THE BRIEF CALLED FOR THE L-6 TO LEAD THE FLIGHT WITH THE L-2 FLYING IN THE LEFT WING POSITION AND THE L-3 IN RIGHT WING FORMATION WITH ABOUT A TWO WING SPAN SEPARATION. THERE WAS NO PLAN FOR ANY SIGNALS BETWEEN PILOTS. A PHOTOGRAPHER IN THE L-6 WAS TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE L-3, WITH THE CITY IN THE BACKGROUND. THE FORMATION HAD EXECUTED TWO LEFT HAND ORBITS, WITH THE L-2 INSIDE THE TURNS, WHEN THE LEAD AIRPLANE INITIATED ANOTHER LEFT TURN. DURING THAT TURN, THE L-2 COLLIDED WITH THE L-6. THE THIRD AIRPLANE WAS NOT INVOLVED. THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FROM THE L-6 AND THE EMPENNAGE OF THE L-2 WAS DAMAGED. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION BOTH AIRPLANES WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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 Taylorcraft DCO-65 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,229 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,325 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:14 pm from SAT, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Interstate S-1B1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,788 hours in all; 414 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1993; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
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.