Cessna 500 accident near Horseshoe Bay, Texas, January 30, 1998
On January 30, 1998 at about 1:10 am local time, a Cessna 500, registered N9AX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horseshoe Bay, Texas (Horseshoe Bay 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 entrance of deer onto the runway, which resulted in an unavoidable impact. Darknes was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1998 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Horseshoe Bay, Texas · Horseshoe Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N9AX · no longer on the register · serial 500-0016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane struck deer during the landing roll on the south runway. The pilot said he made an attempt to avoid the animals, but was unable. As the airplane taxied to the ramp, fuel spilled from the left wing. An antler was found imbedded in the left wing, which had penetrated into the fuel tank. Approximately 150 gallons of fuel had drained onto the runway, taxiway, and ramp area.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 1997; 98 hours since
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ADS Dallas TX
- Destination: 4R2 TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from BMQ
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.