Amateur-built Loenslo YMF-80 accident near Arcola, Texas, November 5, 2004
On November 5, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Loenslo YMF-80, registered N6254A, was destroyed in an accident near Arcola, Texas (Houston Southwest Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed sufficient for flight resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin during takeoff initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arcola, Texas · Houston Southwest Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Loenslo YMF-80
- Registration
- N6254A · no longer on the register · serial 566786524
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane was observed on a pronounced nose-high climb attitude. Subsequently, the airplane stalled and impacted the terrain in a nose low attitude approximately 1,000 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Witnesses observed the airplane in a very steep climb attitude to an altitude of approximately 500 feet above ground level then start to spin in a clockwise rotation as it descended behind a tree line. Flight control continuity was established throughout the airplane at the accident site and no mechanical anomalies were noted with airframe. The accident flight was the first flight in the airplane by the 328-hour pilot since the airplane was reassembled.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 329 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AXH Arcola TX at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KSGR, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.