Amateur-built Baby Ace D accident near Kilgore, Texas, January 12, 2009
On January 12, 2009 at about 7:20 pm local time, a amateur-built Baby Ace D, registered N610DD, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Kilgore, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's improper fuel planning. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain situational awareness, resulting in him being lost.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2009 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kilgore, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Baby Ace D
- Registration
- N610DD · no longer on the register · serial P-1919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a visual-flight-rules flight when the airplane impacted terrain directly below the power lines, and came to rest inverted during an apparent forced landing. The terrain surrounding the wreckage showed no signs of ground scarring, and the debris field was contained to the immediate vicinity of the wreckage. No signs of fuel spillage were observed in the surrounding soil except for a stain the "size of a plate" under the engine assembly. The fuel tank was empty and the gascolator contained two to three tablespoons of fuel. There were no witnesses to the accident. An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies. The global positioning system receiver on board recorded the last few minutes of flight and depicted ten separate course reversals over the accident area prior to the accident. The airplane was 20 miles south of its intended fuel stop. The accident airplane was equipped with a lap belt and shoulder harness. The seatbelt was cut during recovery of the pilot and the shoulder harness was found secured in a storage sack behind the pilot's seat.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during emergency descent defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Geographic disorient (lost) › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusio › Situational awareness › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 556 hours in all; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F24 Minden TX at 5:30 pm
- Destination: JXI Gilmer TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KGGG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.