Titan TITAN TORNADO accident near Marksville, Louisiana, July 2, 2020
On July 2, 2020, a 2006 Titan TITAN TORNADO, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N5082N, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Marksville, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to ensure sufficient fuel onboard, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2020
- Place
- Marksville, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Titan TITAN TORNADO, built 2006, amateur-built
- Registration
- N5082N · no longer on the register · serial S05J22SOHK0498
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot departed for a local, personal flight with one passenger onboard. The student reported that the engine stopped producing power and that he tried to restart it without success. The student had no further recollection of events. A witness reported hearing the airplane having engine “trouble” and subsequently seeing it impact a cornfield, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller could be rotated by hand, and the engine was not was not mechanically bound. The fuel tank was empty and 1/4 cup of fuel was drained from the sump drain valve. No fuel was found in the fuel bowl. Given the evidence, it is likely the engine experienced a total loss of power due to fuel exhaustion. It is likely that the student failed to verify sufficient fuel was onboard for the flight. The oil dipstick was dry, and only five drops of oil were drained from the bottom drain valve. However, the airplane had been in a steep, nose-down attitude for 2 weeks, which could have resulted in oil going into a sump or hidden cavity.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 2019; 257 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 2200 (piston); 257 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lecompte LA
- Destination: Lecompte LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KESF, 18 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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.