Possible CG Problem, Witnesses Hint

It will be several months before we know for sure just what brought the rented 172 down in New Braunfels (TX). The crash on Saturday claimed the life of the pilot or front-seat passenger (reports vary), and sent the other two to the hospital in critical condition. One was later upgraded to 'serious.'

The pilot's father owns the plane, according to one report, and flies for an airline. All three were young men, "in their late teens or early 20s," according to the local paper.

Witnesses said the plane appeared to fall out of the sky, as if it were being dragged back.

**   Report created 9/8/2003   Record 28  **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 7632G        Make/Model: C172      Description: 172, P172, R172, Skyhawk, Hawk
  Date: 09/06/2003     Time: 2215
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
  City: NEW BRAUNFELS   State: TX   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  AIRCRAFT STALLED AND CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, 4 PERSONS ON BOARD, ONE WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THREE WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED, 4 MILES EAST OF NEW BRAUNFELS, TX
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:  1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   3     Fat:   0     Ser:   3     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: METAR KBAZ 062151Z 05005KT 10SM FEW33/16 A2995 RMK A02 SLP131 T03280156
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Pleasure      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: BRAUNFELS, TX               Dep Date:    Dep. Time:
  Destination: BRAUNFELS, TX            Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNK
  Last Clearance: UNK
  FAA FSDO: SAN ANTONIO, TX  (SW17)               Entry date: 09/08/2003