Amateur-built R 80 TIGER MOTH accident near Decatur, Texas, June 6, 2016
On June 6, 2016 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2005 amateur-built R 80 TIGER MOTH, registered N8CX, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Decatur, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the electric fuel boost pump, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2016 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built R 80 TIGER MOTH NO SERIES, built 2005
- Registration
- N8CX · registry record · serial TM36
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported that he was flying his experimental, amateur-built airplane about 500 ft above ground level over his ranch when he smelled something burning. About 15 seconds later, the engine experienced a total loss of power, and the propeller stopped spinning. The airplane impacted a ditch and nosed over during the subsequent forced landing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the inline electric boost pump had overheated and burned, which resulted in a loss of fuel supply 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 maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel pumps › Failure
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 24, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,983 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 29, 2015; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C90-14F (piston); 2,983 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 90T Decatur TX at 10:20 pm
- Destination: 90T Decatur TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from LUD, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N8CX the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN16LA219.