Amateur-built II accident near Azle, Texas, February 24, 2025
On February 24, 2025 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1980 amateur-built II, registered N78WT, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Azle, Texas (Flying Oaks Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2025 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Azle, Texas · Flying Oaks Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built II, built 1980
- Registration
- N78WT · registry record · serial M-3
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On February 24, 2025, at 1430 central standard time, a Starduster II airplane, N78WT, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Azle, Texas. The private pilot and a passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot had flown the airplane earlier in the day and planned on flying the airplane in the airport traffic pattern at the time of the accident. He said the takeoff was normal and during the downwind to base leg turn for runway 15, the airplane became sluggish and was sinking. He said the left wing dropped severely, which he attributed to a tip stall. He corrected for the wing drop by applying right aileron and right rudder inputs. The left wing rose and then dropped again. He said the airplane was not equipped with a stall warning system. He advanced the engine throttle but did not feel a response. He said that he was not looking at the engine tachometer because he was looking at the airport. The airplane descended and impacted terrain. A postcrash fire ensued, which destroyed the airplane. The airplane was 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,870.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 4, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,704 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,800 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from NFW, 6 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.