Amateur-built Cub accident near Rockville, Indiana, August 21, 2004
On August 21, 2004 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Cub, registered N25MF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockville, Indiana. 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 fuel starvation encountered due to the builder's inadequate fuel system design and the subsequent loss of engine power during a maneuver for the landing approach. Factors were the tree and corn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2004 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rockville, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Cub
- Registration
- N25MF · registry record · serial 5
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The experimental amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing at a private airstrip following an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot and passenger were hospitalized with serious injuries. The pilot's accident report stated, "I flew a 3-4 hundred foot pass down runway (W to E) at a fairly low power setting to assess the strip and its condition. As I started a [right hand] turn to go west so that I could go back to land east, the engine quit (it windmilled). ... I turned sharply west to at least land in cornfield [and] possibly runway. ... [The airplane] was settling, however and [left] gear drug thru top of 75' tree slowing me considerably. [The airplane] hit corn slightly nose down in flat attitude." Concerning the loss of engine power, the pilot stated, "Engine quit - fuel starvation, I feel caused by unporting fuel pickups." The pilot's safety recommendation was, "Fuel system need to be reevaluated, possibly rerouting fuel lines from tanks, adding a fuel pump (gravity fed) and/or more fuel pickup points. [Approximately] 12 gal. of fuel showed on fuel sight [glasses] at time engine quit."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 17, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7L8 Indianapolis IN at 6:00 pm
- Destination: Rockville IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from HUF, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N25MF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.