Ryan NAVION A accident near New Waverly, Texas, April 12, 2023
On April 12, 2023 at about 2:13 am local time, a 1948 Ryan NAVION A, registered N4229K, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near New Waverly, Texas (Estates Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power as a result of fuel contamination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2023 · about 2:13 am local time
- Place
- New Waverly, Texas · Estates Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION A, built 1948 · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N4229K · registry record · serial NAV-4-1229
- 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, after a night cross-country flight, he overflew his private airport to see if the solar lights were working. Unable to see the lights, he began a climb and initiated a left turn towards an alternate airport. He stated that while in the turn, “the engine started to cut out,” and he initiated the emergency procedures checklist. Unable to restore the engine power, he initiated a forced landing. The airplane impacted several trees during the approach before impacting the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. During a postaccident examination, sediment was found in fuel that was drained from the fuel tanks and the fuel manifold distributor. The amount of sediment in the distributor likely reduced the fuel flow to the engine, which resulted in a total loss of engine 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute
- Fuel contamination during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,385 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,307 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 11 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550B (piston); 79 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4A6 Scottsboro AL at 11:16 pm
- Destination: KCXO Conroe TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KCXO, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCXO 120153Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/13 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP204 T01560128
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN23LA153.