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FTW89DRG02

1988-10-08 · SAN BENITO, Texas, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport HRL

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

INCAPACITATION OF THE PILOT WHILE FLYING AN AIRCRAFT DUE TO LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS FROM A CARDIAC RHYTHM DISTURBANCE.

Factual narrative

THE 70 YR OLD PLT WAS FLYING A DOUGLAS A-20 IN A FLT OF 3 ACFT AT AN AIRSHOW (CONFEDERATE AIR FORCE 'AIRSHOW 88'). AFTERFLYING ON A SOUTHERLY HDG, THE FLT ENTERED A PROCEDURE TURN WHICH INVOLVED A 90 DEG LEFT TURN TO THE EAST FOLLOWED BY A 270 DEG RGT TURN BACK NORTHBOUND. WHILE MNVRG, THE A-20 ENTERED A RIGHT DESCENDING TURN & SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED ON LEVEL TERRAIN IN A RELATIVELY WINGS LEVEL DESCENT. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST ABOUT 225' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. ACCORDING TO A PATHOLOGICAL RPRT, THE PLT HAD SEVERE CORONARY ARTERIOSCLEROSIS & SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_FTW89DRG02.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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