Helio HT-295 accident near Llano, Texas, November 1, 1995
On November 1, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Helio HT-295, registered N68889, was destroyed in an accident near Llano, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT AND HIS INABILITY TO OUTCLIMB RISING TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE THE RISING TERRAIN AND HIGH WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Llano, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio HT-295 · all HT-295s on the register
- Registration
- N68889 · registry record · serial 1718
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM THE GRASS STRIP FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT AROUND THE RANCH. THE PILOT SELECTED 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS, AND THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE PRIOR TO REACHING THE MIDFIELD POINT OF THE 2,600-FOOT RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THE CLIMB SUBSIDED UNTIL THE AIRPLANE NEARLY LEVELED OFF AS THE AIRPLANE WAS HEADED TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES TO IMPROVE THE CLIMB PERFORMANCE. HE MAINTAINED CONTROLLED FLIGHT AS HE MANAGED TO AVOID THE LARGER TREES WHILE LOOKING FOR AN OPEN AREA. CONTROL WAS LOST AS THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO IMPACTING TREES. A 10 TO 20 KNOT HEADWIND PREVAILED AND THE PILOT STATED THAT A DOWNDRAFT WAS 'CREATED BY THE OROGRAPHIC EFFECT OF THE WIND BLOWING OVER THE RIDGE LINE.' SEVERAL WORKERS AT THE RANCH WITNESSED THE AIRPLANE 'ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB IN THE DIRECTION OF RISING TERRAIN WITHOUT GAINING ALTITUDE.'
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,992 hours in all; 483 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 5,697 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,887 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1995; 193 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-G1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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 FTW96LA035.