Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
John Henry Key Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Boerne, Texas 78006
Tuesady, October 28, 2014 14:33 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On October 28, 2014, about 1433 central daylight time, a Frederick L. Langston RV-4, experimental, amateur-built, single-engine airplane, N70PM, was destroyed after impacting terrain during an off-airport forced landing near John Henry Key Airport (7TA8), Boerne, Texas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane had departed at an unknown time from Boerne Stage Field Airport (5C1), Boerne, Texas for a local flight.
Several witness reported that the airplane was less than one mile west from 7TA8 and maneuvering about 800 feet above ground level when the engine sounds suddenly ceased. The airplane then entered a steep bank, began flying toward 7TA8, began descending and disappeared from their view. Other witnesses near the impact location reported seeing immediate fire after impact, and several witnesses ran to render aid to the pilot.
Evidence at the scene showed the airplane was generally southbound when it impacted trees and terrain resulting in the partial separation of the right wing, engine and empennage. The airplane cabin came to rest upright about 100 feet from the edge of runway 22 at 7TA8, and about 89 feet south from the initial impact point. There was an immediate postimpact fire which consumed much of the airplane.
At 1935 the automated weather observing system at Boerne Stage Field Airport (5C1), Boerne, Texas, located about 8 miles south from the accident location, reported wind from 200 degrees at 3 knots, visibility of 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,800 feet, temperature 27 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 17 degrees C, with an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of Mercury.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/28/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1433 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Boerne |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78006 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 295058N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0984416W |
| Event Location Airport | JOHN HENRY KEY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7TA8 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 270 |
| Airport Elevation | 1400 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1435 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 156 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | K5C1 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1385 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | K5C1 281935Z AUTO 20003KT 10SM SCT028 27/17 A3003 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW Reg'l Opns Center - Ft |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2014 1:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N70PM |
| NTSB Number | CEN15FA032 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LANGSTON, FREDERICK L |
| Aircraft Model | RV 4 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2748 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 1 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 12 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 23 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FREDERICK L LANGSTON |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 413 SEVENTH ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | COMFORT |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 780132317 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | FREDERICK L LANGSTON |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | COMFORT |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 780132317 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 5C1 |
| Departure City | Boerne |
| 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 | 5C1 |
| Destination City | Boerne |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2014 1:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 2300 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |