Lake Water Wheel Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shepherd, Texas 77370
Saturday, September 27, 2014 16:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On September 27, 2014, about 1600 central daylight time, an amateur-built Butcher RV9A airplane, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees during an apparent landing approach to runway 29 at the Lake Water Wheel Airport (XS99), near Shepherd, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured and the passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated at an unconfirmed time.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/27/2014
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Shepherd
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77370
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 302816N
Event Location Longitude 0945446W
Event Location Airport LAKE WATER WHEEL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID XS99
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 321
Airport Elevation 80
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 855 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID 6R3
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR K6R3 270855Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM BR CLR 20/19 A
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 2 2014 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record brajo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N809RD
NTSB Number CEN14LA527
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BUTCHER RUSSELL A
Aircraft Model RV9A
Aircraft Series Identifier A
Aircraft Serial Number 90781
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHMITT MARCUS J
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1347 DU BARRY LN
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 770185239
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name SCHMITT MARCUS J
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1347 DU BARRY LN
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 770185239
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code XS99
Departure City Shepherd
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code XS99
Destination City Shepherd
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 2 2014 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record brajo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --