Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

May 14, 2012 · Troyer Kitfox 3 · N7199T

Elm Creek, NE

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 14, 2012
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Elm Creek, NE
Aircraft
Troyer Kitfox 3
Tail Number
N7199T
Operator
Gothenburg Leasing
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN12LA302

The accident occurred on the first flight following a condition inspection. The pilot reported that about 50 minutes after takeoff, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane and was able to restart the engine. The loss of engine power occurred five more times, and the pilot was able to regain power after each power loss except for the last. The pilot chose a field in which to land, but the airplane collided with a grass embankment before arriving at the field. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed the pistons in the two-cycle engine had seized due to a lack of lubrication. The injection oil reservoir contained an unusable amount of oil. The integrity of the oil injection system was verified and no breaches were noted. The pilot stated that he did not check the oil level during the preflight inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to verify the amount of oil in the injection oil reservoir before takeoff, which resulted in an insufficient fuel/oil ratio and subsequent loss of engine power.

Full Narrative

On May 14, 2012, at 1530 central daylight time, a Troyer Kitfox 3, N7199T, collided with the terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power in Elm Creek, Nebraska. The airline transport certificated pilot was seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from the Central City Municipal Airport (07K), Central City, Nebraska, at 1430. The pilot was repositioning the airplane for its owner after the airplane had undergone a condition inspection. The pilot reported that about 50 minutes after takeoff, a total loss of engine power occurred and the propeller stopped turning. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed, engaged the starter and was able to restart the engine. The loss of engine power occurred five more times and the pilot was able to restart the engine four of those times. However, the pilot was not able to restart the engine when it lost power for the sixth time. The pilot chose a field in which to land, but the airplane collided with a grass embankment prior to the field. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 582LC 2-cycle engine, serial number 3971866. A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector with the assistance of Rotech Flight Safety. Both cylinders were removed during the examination. The cylinders walls and the piston skirts were dull, contained vertical scoring, and exhibited the transfer of metal indicative of a lack of lubrication. The reservoir for the oil injection lubrication system contained about ¼ cup of oil. This level of oil was below the location of the pick-up tube. The integrity of the injection oil system was verified with no breaches noted. The pilot reported he did not check the level of the oil in the injection reservoir prior to the flight, but that the reservoir was half full when the airplane was taken to Central City for maintenance. The mechanic who performed the condition inspection reported the airplane was brought to his facility in December 2011, and the reservoir was half full at that time.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:30 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Flight Plan ActivatedYes
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftTroyer Kitfox 3
Tail NumberN7199T
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorGothenburg Leasing
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsRotax · 582LC · Reciprocating · 65
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 67 · First Class · Serious

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point27 C
Altimeter30.04 inHg
Observation Time19:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data