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| Date: | Thursday 31 August 2000 |
| Time: | 16:32 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft T-6A Texan II |
| Owner/operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 95-3008 |
| MSN: | PT-12 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 3.5 mi S of Stinson Muni Arpt, San Antonio TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Randolph AFB (KRND) |
| KSSF |
On 31 August 2000, at 1632 Central Daylight Time, a T-6A, S/N 95-3008, crashed 3.5 miles south of Stinson Municipal Airport, San Antonio, Texas. The T-6A Texan II, assigned to the 559th Flying Training Squadron (FTS), 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, was on an instructor enhancement program training mission. Both the Mishap Instructor Pilot (MIP) and Mishap Pilot (MP) ejected safely sustaining minor injuries. The MIP received cuts and abrasions on his face from ejecting without his oxygen mask fully connected and a broken ankle from his parachute landing fall. The MP had several shards of canopy embedded in his eyes due to ejecting without his visor down. The aircraft impacted in a cornfield causing virtually no property damage. The MA was destroyed upon impact, with loss valued at $5,538,549.00.
Shortly before impact, the Mishap Crew (MC) was flying a Global Positioning System (GPS) approach to Stinson Municipal Airport, Texas. As they approached the final approach fix, the MIP directed the MP to configure the aircraft. As they approached the final approach fix, the MIP directed the MP to configure the aircraft. After lowering the gear, the MP was unable to locate the flap lever. The MIP described the location of the flap lever and then stated he was lowering the flaps. As the MIP lowered the flaps, the crew experienced a total loss of power. After one restart attempt, the crew ejected.
The primary cause of the mishap was the MP inadvertently placed the power control lever (PCL) to the cut-off position. As a result, the engine lost all power. All aircraft systems functioned as designed throughout the entire flight. Both pilots testified that the MIP moved the flaps to "TAKEOFF." The MP was flying the airplane and at the tme searching for the flap lever. He had his hand above and around the PCL. According to the Flight Data Recorder, the flap lever was moved from "UP" to "TAKEOFF" during the same second of flight the PCL was moved below idle. Due to the relationship of the flap lever and the PCL cutoff finger-lift, it is impossible for one person to do both without intentionally trying to do so.
But for the fact the MP was unfamiliar with the T-6A cockpit, he would not have been looking for the flap lever during the approach.
But for the fact that the MP inadvertently placed the power control lever (PCL) to the cut-off position, the engine would not have lost power.
It was the first T-6A hull loss since its introduction to the Air Education and Training Command at Randolph five months earlier. The pilot reached for the engine cut-off handle believing it was the flap handle, which is due to a negative transfer of learning from the USAF T-37 Tweet trainer aircraft; the handle locations are in the same place on the throttle. A modification to the T-6 included a hand guard to prevent inadvertent shut-offs.
Sources:
http://www.european-security.com/n_index.php?id=2154
Scramble
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA538810.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jun-2018 16:05 | peterhantelman | Added |
| 12-Nov-2018 10:02 | TB | Updated [Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, ] |
| 23-Nov-2018 13:39 | TB | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, ] |
| 20-Oct-2025 06:29 | Zorchin | Updated [Time, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
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