Amateur-built MK III accident near Mineola, Texas, November 28, 2024
On November 28, 2024, a 1988 amateur-built MK III, registered N51810, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Mineola, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2024
- Place
- Mineola, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MK III NO SERIES, built 1988
- Registration
- N51810 · registry record · serial 224
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On November 27, 2024, about 18:30 central standard time, a Cozy Mark III, N51810 was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mineola, Texas. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane departed Houston Southwest Airport (AXH), Houston, Texas, about 1720. The pilot was on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan and received VFR flight following while en route to his destination airport, Cox Field Airport (PRX), Paris, Texas. The airplane impacted a densely forested area about 60 nm south of PRX. Branches on trees, about 40 ft southeast of the impact site, exhibited 45° angle cuts and some branches had a broom-straw like appearance. A propeller blade was found under one of the trees with the damaged branches. There was a large crater about 7 ft in diameter and 3 ft deep, northeast of the damaged trees, that contained the engine and remainder of the propeller, still attached at the flange. The debris field fanned out about 45 ft in a circle from the crater. The majority of the debris field was on a heading of about 150°. The debris field consisted of both vertical stabilizers, both rudders, pieces of the nose canard, left and right navigation lights, left and right ailerons, pieces of both wings, pieces of the acrylic canopy, and main landing gear. Blue Styrofoam and small pieces of fiberglass were scattered throughout the area. The right navigation light was crushed, but the left navigation light was not damaged. Although heavily fragmented, all four corners of the airplane, including the nose canard, were identified at the scene. The airplane wreckage and engine were retained for further examination.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 712 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 25, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: AXH Houston TX at 11:19 pm
- Destination: PRX Paris TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KTYR, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTYR 272353Z 21007KT 10SM CLR 22/15 A2973
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 CEN25FA052.