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

August 7, 2015 · World Aircraft Spirit · N65XT

Granbury, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 7, 2015
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Granbury, TX
Aircraft
World Aircraft Spirit (2011)
Tail Number
N65XT
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN15LA355

The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, when the airplane was about 4 miles from the airport, he made a series of prolonged left turns at cruise altitude to allow another airplane that was in the area to land at the airport. After making the left turns, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing on a tall grass field after being unable to restart the engine. The pilot was unable to slow the airplane with full application of wheel brakes due to the tall grass, and the airplane impacted a barbed wire fence and then came to rest. Examination of the wreckage showed that the fuel system design did not allow for the equalization of fuel between the fuel tanks, which led to the engine being starved of fuel following the sustained left turns. The pilot did not use the fuel boost pump while troubleshooting the loss of engine power, which would have provided a positive fuel flow/pressure to the engine and resolved the fuel starvation condition. Following the postaccident examination of the airplane, the airplane manufacturer modified the fuel system to allow for the equalization of fuel between the fuel tanks.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s failure to use the fuel boost pump following the loss of engine power and the fuel system’s inadequate design, which did not allow for equalization of fuel between the fuel tanks and led to a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and subsequent forced landing.

Full Narrative

On August 7, 2015, at 1140 central daylight time, a World Aircraft Company Spirit, N65XT, impacted a fence and terrain during a forced landing to a field near Granbury, Texas. The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power after a series of circling left turns. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Kickapoo Downtown Airport (CWC), Wichita Falls, Texas, at 1030 and was destined to Pecan Plantation Airport (0TX1), Granbury, Texas. The pilot stated that when the airplane was about 4 miles from the destination airport, he began to make left turns to allow an inbound Piper airplane that was in the area to approach and land at the airport. As the pilot returned to an inbound course from the left turns, the engine "sputtered and shook" and the pilot made an immediate left turn from above an area that was forest to an area that was pasture. The engine then "sputtered and stopped." The pilot stated that he pushed the throttle control to the full open position, "hit the ignition," and the engine restarted. The engine ran "smoothly," and the pilot retuned the airplane back onto course to 0TX1. The pilot made a radio transmission reporting a rough running engine and "moments later" the engine "shuddered" but was still running. The pilot then made a left turn to an "open" area of terrain and the engine "sputtered and stopped." The pilot then performed a forced landing to a field. The touch down on the field was "smooth but fast" and during the rollout the pilot saw for the first time a barbed wire fence in the direction of the rollout. The pilot was unable to slow the airplane with full application of wheel brakes due to foot-tall grass and cactus, which were "like stopping on wet grass." The pilot stated that his safety recommendation was: "Always be sure to turn on the fuel pump when the engine runs rough or stops." The wreckage was initially recovered and moved to Air Salvage of Dallas. Lancaster, Texas but was later moved to World Aircraft Company, Paris, Tennessee where an examination of the wreckage could be performed. The examination was performed under the supervisor of a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector, Airworthiness from the Memphis Flight Standards District Office. The World Aircraft Company party representative indicated that there are two one-way fuel valves in the system located at the wing root (attach points). One is on a 5/16-inch line, and the other is 3/8-inch line. They were designed to allow fuel flow in one-direction to preclude the fuel venting on the ramp. Following the circumstances of the accident, continual banking in circle, World Aircraft Company modified the system by replacing the smaller of the two valves with a union in its place. This will allow the fuel to flow back into the tank, thus enabling the ability to equalize fuel distribution.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:40 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftWorld Aircraft Spirit
Tail NumberN65XT
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsRotax · 912ULS · Reciprocating · 100
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 74 · Sprt · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind210° @ 4 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point63 F
Altimeter29.93 inHg
Observation Time16:55
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data