SMITH AEROSTAR 601P
Casterville, TX — March 24, 2012
Event Information
| Date | March 24, 2012 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| Location | Casterville, TX |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 29.34051, -98.87006 |
| Airport | Casterville Municipal Airport |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA202 |
| Event ID | 20120326X10400 |
Aircraft
| Make | SMITH |
| Model | AEROSTAR 601P |
| Registration # | N602BV |
| Operator | Louis F. Fabre |
| Owner | SPECIALIZED PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY SPECIALITIES LLC |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | IMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 3 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane while circling to land.
Full Narrative
The pilot flew the GPS approach and stated he was able to see the runway upon reaching the missed approach point; however, he was not “in a position” to land the airplane. He stated he decided to circle to land with full flaps while maintaining an airspeed of 140 miles per hour. The airplane entered an “unusually high” sink rate during the turn. The pilot added full power and leveled the wings, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane impacted the terrain off the end of and to the right of the runway. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures/malfunctions which resulted in the accident.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.