Downer 14-19-3 accident near Forney, Texas, May 16, 2026
On May 16, 2026 at about 5:10 am local time, a 1960 Downer 14-19-3, registered N7NL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Forney, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- May 16, 2026 · about 5:10 am local time
- Place
- Forney, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Downer 14-19-3 NO SERIES, built 1960 · all 14-19-3s on the register
- Registration
- N7NL · registry record · serial 4206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 16, 2026, about 0010 central daylight time, a Downer 14-19-3 airplane, N7NL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Forney, Texas. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. A second passenger initially survived the accident but died 13 days later from injuries sustained in the accident. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The pilot was diverting to an alternate airport due to gusty wind conditions when the engine began to run rough. The pilot could not maintain altitude and ultimately executed a forced landing in an open construction area. The airplane nosed over during the landing. The airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, both wings, empennage, and firewall forward resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The airplane was recovered 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
- Fuel related during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent)
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,541 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 2025; 151 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: KDUA Durant OK at 4:30 am
- Destination: F46 Rockwall TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from KHQZ, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KHQZ 162350Z 15011G26KT 10SM CLR 30/17 A2980=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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 CEN26LA190.