Plane Was On Approach To Land

A Vans Aircraft RV-6 went down at the San Patricio County Airport west of Sinton, TX Monday morning. The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the pilot as 45 year-old Scott James Schilleci of Spring Branch, according to the Associated Press.

According to a report by DPS Trooper Eric Jimenez, the pilot made "two passes" before crashing at the runway's east end. Heavy fog was reported at the time of the crash and may have been a contributing factor.

"Preliminary reports are suggesting that at about 8:45 a.m. Central (Daylight) Time, the pilot was on initial approach when the plane stalled and crashed," said FAA spokesman Roland Herwig. "The pilot received fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed by fire."

According to New Braunfels' The Herald-Zeitung, witness Dorothy Pace, who lives within 200 yards of the crash site on Texas 188, said she heard two "loud pops" around 9 a.m.

"I was sweeping the driveway and then went into the garage when I heard two bangs. It sounded like a muffler pop. It was loud. I came out and looked around and saw smoke and a small fire, but no plane. I thought that was strange because they're always doing something over there (at the airport). My first reaction was, well, maybe someone's burning a pile of brush."

According to troopers, a witness saw the plane disappear into the fog then become engulfed in flames.

"There was another guy here. They already called; he grabbed a couple of fire extinguishers, tried putting the fire out, but you can tell no one could have survived that heat," Jeffrey Janak, assistant airport manager, said.

Hector Casanova, NTSB regional director in Arlington, Texas told media Schilleci's aircraft was first certified as airworthy on Nov. 29, 2000 an investigator has already been assigned to the case.

"This is a very popular aircraft. Two of our four investigators, including the lead investigator on the case, are builders of the same model," Casanova said. "We've ordered weather and radar records and will continue gathering data as needed."

The Vans Aircraft RV-6 is a low-wing, home-built airplane that seats two and can be ordered with tailwheel or tricycle landing gear. It has a top speed range of 198 to 210 mph and a range of up to 775 statute miles, according to the manufacturer.

The accident aircraft was housed at Kestral Airpark, about 20 miles east of New Braunfels Municipal Airport. The pilot's father told reporters Schilleci was a pilot for Continental Airlines and held type ratings in Boeing 737s and DC-9s. 

David McCraw, a pilot who witnessed the accident said he "knew from the wreckage that the accident was a bad one."

"I taxied down to the runway area, saw the plane there, realized something happened, and it was pretty bad," he told Corpus Christi's KRIS-TV.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.vansaircraft.com