Pilatus PC-12/45 accident near Christoval, TX
On December 14, 2023, a Pilatus PC-12/45 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Christoval, TX. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- December 14, 2023
- Place
- Christoval, TX
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC-12/45 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.101°N, 100.545°W
- NTSB ID
- 20231214193525
Official records · CEN24FA064
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control - Certified Audio: Audio recording (WAV), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control Services Review: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control - Falcon Replay: Document (MP4), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control - Audio Summary: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Air Traffic Control - FAA Services Rendered Telecon Checklist: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 14, 2023, about 12:18 central standard time (CST), a Pilatus PC-12/45 airplane, N188PC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Christoval, Texas. The pilot, one passenger, and three pets were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. FAA ATC recordings and ADS-B data revealed that the airplane departed Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (KCRG), Jacksonville, Florida, about 07:51 CST, and was enroute to San Angelo Regional Airport (KSJT), San Angelo, Texas. At 12:03, the accident pilot contacted San Angelo Approach control and was instructed to descend to 6,000 ft and expect radar vectors for the RNAV (GPS) runway 36 approach to KSJT. At 12:07:23, the controller instructed the pilot to turn left to heading 230° and descend to 4,300 ft. At about 12:11, the pilot reported to ATC that the tops of the clouds were variable between 4,100 ft and 4,400 ft msl. At 12:13:50, the controller instructed the pilot to turn left to heading 210° for vectors to the final approach course. At 12:16:40, the controller issued a heading of 270°, and at 12:17:17 instructed the pilot to “turn right heading 030° maintain 4,300 until established on the final approach course, cleared RNAV runway 36 approach.” The KSJT RNAV runway 36 final approach course heading is 002° magnetic, or 6.7° true. At 12:17:32, the airplane flew across the final approach course from east to west on a track of 298° true, an angle of about 69° left of the final approach course. At 12:17:35, the pilot repo
Probable cause
<p style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:8pt;line-height:108%;font-size:12pt;background-color:#ffffff;"><span style="font-family:'Roboto';background-color:#ffffff;">The pilot’s loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident were the controller’s failure to issue an appropriate intercept angle for the final approach
More accidents in TX
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Browse: Texas · Pilatus aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
