Amateur-built ARIOSTO MUSTANG II accident near Normangee, Texas, March 4, 2016
On March 4, 2016 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1992 amateur-built ARIOSTO MUSTANG II, registered N12JA, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Normangee, Texas. 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 total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's improper fuel selector positioning procedures during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2016 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 2016
- Place
- Normangee, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ARIOSTO MUSTANG II, built 1992
- Registration
- N12JA · registry record · serial MII-1335
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight in the experimental, amateur-built airplane, the private pilot attempted to move the fuel selector from the left to the right fuel tank. During that process, the engine lost power, and the airplane sustained substantial damage during the subsequent forced landing. The pilot reported that he had recently modified the fuel system, and, while attempting to select the right fuel tank, he inadvertently starved the engine of fuel. The pilot reported no problems with the engine before the loss of engine power and stated that the engine lost power because he used improper procedures while attempting to change the fuel selector.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the engine
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management other cases naming the fuel system
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,851 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 233 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 15, 2016; 4 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from CFD, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 6, 2016. 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 | FAA Email Correspondence | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Letter | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Record of Conversation | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N12JA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN16LA121.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.