Piper PA-18-95 accident near Rio Hondo, Texas, June 24, 1995
On June 24, 1995 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-95, registered N5424H, was involved in an accident near Rio Hondo, Texas (Texas Dusting Services 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY SUPERVISE A NON-PASSENGER RESULTING IN THE INDIVIDUAL BEING STRUCK BY THE PROPELLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1995 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Hondo, Texas · Texas Dusting Services · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-95 · all PA-18-95s on the register
- Registration
- N5424H · registry record · serial 18-15
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE WAITING FOR THE ENGINE TO WARMUP THE PILOT REQUESTED AN INDIVIDUAL STANDING ALONG SIDE THE AIRCRAFT TO GO TO THE OFFICE AND RETRIEVE HIS SODA. THE INDIVIDUAL ACKNOWLEDGED THE REQUEST AND WALKED INTO THE TURNING PROPELLER, SUSTAINING SERIOUS INJURIES.
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: 313 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 251 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XS63
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.