Rockwell 112 accident near Bryan, Texas, May 29, 2011
On May 29, 2011 at about 1:44 am local time, a 1973 Rockwell 112, registered N1041J, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Bryan, Texas (Easterwood Field Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and his improper control inputs following the loss of engine power, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impaired judgment, which led to his failure to recognize the fuel shortage earlier and his improper decision to fly with disqualifying medical conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2011 · about 1:44 am local time
- Place
- Bryan, Texas · Easterwood Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112, built 1973
- Registration
- N1041J · no longer on the register · serial 41
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A review of the pilot's logbooks revealed that he had flown two flights in the airplane several days before the accident flight for a total of 2.8 flight hours. The airplane was not refueled after those flights. About 1.4 hours after takeoff on the accident flight, the pilot reported that he was "running out of fuel," and the airplane subsequently started descending. A witness reported seeing the airplane at a low altitude and then suddenly turn and depart controlled flight, indicating than an aerodynamic stall had occurred. The airplane impacted terrain in the parking lot of an apartment complex in a congested urban area. Engine data monitor information for the accident flight showed that, for most of the flight, the airplane had an average fuel flow of about 14.7 gallons per hour. The airplane had a total useful fuel capacity of 62 gallons. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot improperly planned how much fuel he would need for the accident flight and that the airplane ran out of fuel, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot's medical records revealed a diagnosis of major depression, and toxicology testing found medications in the pilot's body consistent with the treatment of this condition. The pilot's depression had been documented and treated since 1989, but the treatment and medications were inadequately reported to the Federal Aviation Administration on the pilot's recent airman medical applications and would have disqualified him from obtaining an airman's medical certificate. The pilot's depression and the medications he was taking would have significantly degraded his cognitive abilities, including executive functioning and judgment, and likely led to his failure to recognize the fuel shortage earlier and his improper decision to fly with disqualifying medical conditions.
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
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during enroute (cruise)
- Fuel exhaustion during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 259 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 18, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,937 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 2011; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO 360-C1D6 (piston); 2,937 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWS Fort Worth TX
- Destination: GLS Galveston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KCLL, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.