Fleet FLEET 16B accident near Marion, Texas, December 30, 2011
On December 30, 2011 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Fleet FLEET 16B, registered N9753L, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Marion, Texas (Zuehl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a piece of metal in the fuel line, which blocked fuel flow to the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2011 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marion, Texas · Zuehl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fleet FLEET 16B · all FLEET 16Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9753L · registry record · serial 529
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the local flight, the airplane’s engine began to surge and then experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a nearby field. However, during the forced landing, the airplane impacted a tree and subsequently came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that when he drained the fuel tank after the accident he found a piece of welding slag in the fuel line, which blocked the flow of fuel to the engine.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel distribution › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner SS165 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1T Marion TX
- Destination: 1TE4 Marion TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KRND, 7 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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 27, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Statement of FAA Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Correspondence with Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Correspondence from Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.