Amateur-built ZODIAC 601XL accident near Seagoville, Texas, June 29, 2015
On June 29, 2015 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built ZODIAC 601XL, registered N253DG, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Seagoville, Texas (Mesquite Metro 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
The engine overheating, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power, due to the pilot's operation of the engine with a higher-than-specified oil quantity level.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2015 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Seagoville, Texas · Mesquite Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZODIAC 601XL, built 2012
- Registration
- N253DG · registry record · serial 6-5247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane. The pilot reported that, as the flight approached the destination airport, the high oil temperature warning light illuminated. The pilot's attempts to remedy the situation were successful but only for a few minutes, after which, the high oil temperature warning again illuminated, and the engine subsequently began running roughly. Smooth engine operation could only be obtained by reducing the engine speed. However, at that power setting, the airplane would not maintain altitude. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing to a field, and during the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane then nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any mechanical failures. The pilot reported that he intentionally ran the engine with more oil than specified in an attempt to reduce the operating temperatures. When checked at the accident site, the engine oil quantity was higher than the upper limit on the oil dipstick. The engine manufacturer had previously issued a service bulletin, which noted that operating the engine with the oil quantity above the upper limit can result in oil temperatures significantly higher than when operating the engine at the lower limit. It is likely that the operation of the engine with a higher-than-specified oil quantity level resulted in the engine overheating and subsequently losing partial power.
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 (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 249 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 188 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 10, 2014
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 195 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 17, 2014; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300A (piston); 195 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXO Lone Star Exec TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: HQZ Mesquite TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:39 pm from HQZ, 5 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.