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

July 22, 2013 · Durfee Fred Quicksilver MXL · N2590B

Lexington, TN

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 22, 2013
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Lexington, TN
Aircraft
Durfee Fred Quicksilver MXL
Tail Number
N2590B
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ERA13LA347

The student pilot, who was also the builder of the airplane, took off from a pasture, and, shortly thereafter, the engine quit. The student pilot turned the airplane back toward the pasture, but while approaching it, the airplane stalled and then impacted the ground. The student pilot subsequently found that the fuel filter was clogged, which likely resulted in fuel starvation to the engine. According to the student pilot, he did not have a way to check the fuel quality onboard the airplane, and the airplane's last inspection was completed over 5 years earlier. The student pilot did not note when or if the fuel system had ever been flushed or if the fuel filter was ever changed, but he speculated that the containers he used to transport fuel from a local gas station might have collected dust over time from filling or draining. The student pilot reported only 10 hours of total flight time, all in the accident airplane make and model, which coincided with the 5+ years he had been operating the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause

The student pilot/builder’s failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power, which resulted in an exceedance of the wing’s critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot/builder’s inadequate procedures to ensure a clean fuel supply to the engine, which resulted in a clogged fuel filter and the subsequent loss of engine power.

Full Narrative

On July 22, 2013, about 1400 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Quicksilver MXL, N2590B, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to the student pilot/builder's pasture in Lexington, Tennessee. The student pilot sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight, which originated at the pasture and was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the student pilot, he took off from the pasture and shortly thereafter, the engine quit. He headed the airplane back toward the pasture, but "it fell short." The student pilot's wife stated that after the engine quit, the airplane "dropped like a rock." A photograph of the side-by-side seated airplane provided by the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed impacted soil and fore-to-aft crushing in the vicinity of the left seat rudder pedals. The student pilot subsequently advised that he found that dirty fuel had plugged the fuel filter. He also noted that he had no way to check the fuel once it was on the airplane. He further stated that he utilized 93-octane, no ethanol fuel which he would buy at a local gas station and transport in "approved" containers. When questioned about the source of the dirt in the filter, he explained, "Best I can think of is dust from filling or draining over time." According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the student pilot, age 43 at the time of the accident, had obtained a student pilot certificate with a third class medical certificate in July 2009, making it valid through July 2014. The student pilot did not provide any evidence of flight instructor endorsement for the flight. The student pilot indicated 10 hours of total flight time, with 1 hour in the previous 30 days; all in the accident airplane make and model. FAA records indicated that the airplane was last registered in November 2007, and according to the student pilot, it had 10 hours of total operating time at the time of the accident. The student pilot did not indicate when or if he ever flushed the fuel system or changed the fuel filter, but did state that the airplane's last inspection was in January 2008.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:00 CDT
Nearest AirportPrivate Airstrip (0nm)
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftDurfee Fred Quicksilver MXL
Tail NumberN2590B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsRotax · 582 · Reciprocating · 65
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 43 · Third Class · Serious

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind210° @ 9 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter29.93 inHg
Observation Time18:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data