Colonial C 1 accident near Chico, Texas, July 5, 2015
On July 5, 2015 at about 11:15 pm local time, a 1956 Colonial C 1, registered N257B, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Chico, Texas (Bridgeport Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the unsnapped fuel bladder, which resulted in an inaccurate fuel quantity indication, and the pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, during which he relied solely on the fuel gauges to determine the amount of fuel on board.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2015 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chico, Texas · Bridgeport Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Colonial C 1, built 1956 · all C 1s on the register
- Registration
- N257B · no longer on the register · serial 17
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had flown the airplane about 8 to 10 times after its most recent fueling and that he intended to fly to the destination airport to refuel the airplane. Before departure, the fuel quantity gauge indicated that the fuel tank was about 3/8 full of fuel. About 5 minutes after departure, the engine experienced a loss of power, so the pilot conducted a forced landing in a field, during which the airplane landed hard. A postaccident examination revealed that the fuel bladder tank was collapsed, and a small amount of unmeasured fuel was observed. The fuel system remained intact, and there was no evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site. The engine operated normally when the fuel trapped in the tank was freed by rocking the wings. It is likely that the small amount of fuel in the fuel tank was unusable during the flight and was insufficient to reach the engine. The pilot stated that the fuel bladder had become unsnapped from the wing, which allowed the fuel quantity transmitter to indicate a false reading. However, the pilot did not conduct adequate preflight fuel planning to ensure there was sufficient fuel on board because he relied solely on the fuel gauges.
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 enroute
- Fuel related during enroute
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel indication system › Malfunction
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,996 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,890 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 15, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 1,621 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XBP Bridgeport TX at 11:10 pm
- Destination: 0F2 Bowie TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,004 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from KXBP, 7 miles away
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.