Hilltop Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Monday, January 29, 1990 10:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AT 200 FEET AGL AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT FROM TAKEOFF POWER, 6,500 RPM, TO IDLE. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT THE PILOT INITIATED A 15 DEGREE LEFT BANK TO STEER TOWARD A CLEARING. THIS RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AT APPROXIMATELY 150 TO 175 FEET AGL. GROUND IMPACT OCCURRED SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW, WINGS LEVEL. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES, A FENCE, AND A DITCH, BEFORE IT CAME TO REST. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY FAILED TO REVEAL A CAUSE FOR THE POWER LOSS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED DURING AN EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City NEW BRAUNFELS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78130
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HILLTOP RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 957 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID RND
Elevation of weather observation facility 762
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 690
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1405
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1026
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42718
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N60RT
NTSB Number FTW90DRG02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name THOMPSON
Aircraft Model BAKER BOB-CAT
Aircraft Series Identifier BAKER BOB-
Aircraft Serial Number 382436
Certified Max Gross Weight 605
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 14 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 46
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RALPH O. THOMPSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1221 RAPIDS ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NEW BRAUNFELS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78130
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --