No fatalities

Landing on Plowed Field Mistaken for Runway Results in Aircraft Flip-Over

Sabinal, TX, United States

On February 13, 2013, a CESSNA T206H was involved in an aviation accident near Sabinal, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot mistakenly identified a plowed portion of the field for the intended landing area. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot mistakenly landed on a plowed field adjacent to the intended runway due to sun glare, causing the nose wheel to dig in and the airplane to flip over, resulting in substantial damage.

Incident

A pilot was attempting to land on a private unimproved runway during an approach. The field immediately adjacent to the landing area had been recently plowed. The approach was conducted into the direction of the rising sun, which was just coming over the horizon at the time.

During the approach, the pilot mistakenly identified a plowed portion of the field as the intended landing area and proceeded to land on it. Upon touchdown, the pilot noticed the surface was softer than expected and attempted to keep the nose wheel off the ground as long as possible. Eventually, the nose wheel set down in the soft dirt and dug in, causing the airplane to flip over onto its back.

Damage

Both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder sustained substantial damage as a result of the accident.

Probable cause

The pilot mistakenly identified a plowed portion of the field for the intended landing area.

Contributing factors

Causes

Awareness of conditionPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipmentEffect on personnel

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 13 Feb 2013 CESSNA T206H accident near Sabinal, TX?

A pilot mistakenly landed on a plowed field adjacent to the intended runway due to sun glare, causing the nose wheel to dig in and the airplane to flip over, resulting in substantial damage.

Were there any fatalities in the 13 Feb 2013 CESSNA T206H accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 13 Feb 2013 involved a CESSNA T206H, at Sabinal, TX.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot mistakenly identified a plowed portion of the field for the intended landing area.