What happened
On May 24, 2025, at approximately 16:58 CDT, a Rockwell Commander 114A, registration N5903N, crashed near Hankamer, Texas. The flight was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot and the passenger sustained 2 fatal injuries.
According to FAA ADS-B data, the aircraft departed Baytown Airport at approximately 16:27 and initially flew east. The aircraft performed several turns while maintaining an altitude between 2,500 ft and 4,000 ft MSL. Shortly before the accident, the aircraft climbed to approximately 4,275 ft MSL as its airspeed decreased. At 16:57:30, the aircraft decelerated to approximately 59 knots calibrated airspeed and entered a steep descent. The final ADS-B data recorded at 16:57:48 showed the aircraft descending through 1,366 ft MSL at a rate exceeding 14,700 feet per minute, approximately 790 ft south of the impact site.
Security footage from a nearby business showed the aircraft in a steep, nose-low attitude during its descent. The video did not show any significant changes in the aircraft's roll or pitch during the final moments.
The investigation
The aircraft impacted a heavily wooded area. The debris field and ground signatures indicated a high-energy, high-angle impact consistent with a near-vertical descent. The initial impact involved tree limbs, and the debris field spread between 300° and 045°. The cruciform tail section, including the rudder and elevators, was located at the top of the impact site, while the engine was found buried approximately 10 feet into the terrain.