N2511M – PIPER PA-12 – 2026-03-07 NTSB Accident Report

On March 7, 2026, about 1323 central standard time, a Piper PA-12, N2511M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lockhart, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The flight instructor reported that the airplane had about 25 gallons of fuel on board and the weight of the airplane was about 1,700 pounds. His student was on his last day of tailwheel endorsement training, and they were conducting two and three-point takeoff and landings. The instructor had checked the weather at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS), Austin, Texas, and noticed the winds were coming from the north. He stated winds were calm at Lockhart after looking at the windsock. They had made a full stop landing to the south on the grassy area between runway 18 and the taxiway. After the full stop landing, the instructor estimated that they had 900-1,000 feet of runway remaining. The instructor stated the airplane routinely takes off in 700-800 feet of runway.

He opted to have the student perform the takeoff from this location. During the takeoff they heard a loud bang right after rotation. The airplane “wobbled” to the right and dipped down and the instructor pulled back. They did a three-point landing but collided with a fence and a tree resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

A review of recorded winds from a privately operated weather station in Lockhart, TX, showed the wind was out of the south but shifted to the west and then the north close to the time of the accident. The wind from the north was 10-15 knots with gusts between 15-20 knots.

The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-A2B engine, tundra tires, and a Sensenich propeller.

The airplane was also equipped with two video cameras. One mounted on the right wing looking towards the cockpit and one mounted in the upper right corner of the windscreen looking at the two pilots. The video provided shows the landing before the accident and the takeoff accident itself. The video was retained by the NTSB and will be reviewed in further detail.