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 6, 2016 · Champion 7EC · N9891B

Placedo, TX

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 6, 2016
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Placedo, TX
Aircraft
Champion 7EC (1958)
Tail Number
N9891B
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN16LA251

The airline transport pilot was conducting the first flight in the airplane after an extended period of inactivity. The pilot reported that, about 10-15 minutes after takeoff, the engine sputtered. He applied carburetor heat and checked the position of the fuel selector and the magnetos. The engine operation smoothed out; however, a short time later, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a corn field, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the fuel line between the fuel strainer and the carburetor was deteriorated and leaking fuel, and the fuel selector was rigged in such a way that it would only open about 25%, which limited the amount of fuel flowing to the engine. The mechanic who signed off the airplane's most recent annual inspection, which was completed the month before the accident, reported that the airplane's owner assisted with the inspection, and that he did not verify the owner's work before endorsing the annual inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause

The inadequate annual inspection of the fuel system that failed to detect a deteriorated fuel line and a misrigged fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic’s failure to verify the work completed by the owner before endorsing the annual inspection.

Full Narrative

On July 6, 2016, at 0830 central daylight time, a Champion 7EC, N9891B, landed in a corn field in Placedo, Texas, following a loss of engine power. The airline transport rated pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Tanners Airport (9TE4), Port Lavaca, Texas, about 0820, with an intended destination of the Victoria Regional Airport (VCT), Victoria, Texas.The pilot reported the airplane had not been flown for some time while the wings were removed and reskinned, and an annual inspection was completed. The pilot stated he was flying the airplane to VCT so a new weight and balance could be calculated. The airplane was fueled with 20 gallons of fuel about 1 ½ weeks prior to the accident and it had about 1 hour of ground run time since the refueling. The pilot reported he ran the engine for about 10 minutes prior to takeoff and it operated normally. He also checked the magneto and carburetor heat operation during the engine run-up. The takeoff, climb, and initial cruise were normal. About 10 to 15 minutes into the flight, the engine sputtered. He applied carburetor heat, and checked the position of the fuel selector and the magnetos. The engine operation smoothed out and a short time later, the engine lost power. The pilot stated that due to his low altitude, he didn't have a lot of choices on where to land, so he chose a corn field. During the forced landing, the right main landing gear was buckled, which resulted in damage to the airframe structural tubing. A postaccident examination of the airplane was conducted by an inspector from the San Antonio Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported the airplane had been in storage since 1996. The examination revealed the fuel line between the fuel strainer and the carburetor was deteriorated and leaking fuel. The fuel selector was rigged in such a way that it would only open about 25% of the way. Air pressure was applied to the fuel line from the fuel tanks and back pressure was noted. The fuel selector valve was manually opened by by-passing the fuel selector handle, the air flowed through to the fuel line. An old gasket was on the fuel strainer and debris was found in the fuel bowl. In addition, there was a large insect nest in engine compartment. The airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authority who signed off on the last annual inspection reported the airplane owner assisted with the annual inspection in June 2016, and the mechanic did not verify the work.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time08:30 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftChampion 7EC
Tail NumberN9891B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-200-A · Reciprocating · 90
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 68 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind180° @ 15 kt, gusting 23 kt
Visibility6 sm
CeilingNone
Altimeter30.03 inHg
Observation Time14:51
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data