Culver LCA accident near Mcgregor, Texas, October 4, 2005
On October 4, 2005 at about 11:08 pm local time, a Culver LCA, registered N32476, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgregor, Texas. 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 pilot's improper preflight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2005 · about 11:08 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgregor, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Culver LCA · all LCAs on the register
- Registration
- N32476 · registry record · serial 208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 540-hour private pilot reported that approximately 5 to 10 miles short of his destination airport, while still in cruise flight at 3,500 feet, the engine lost power without warnings. The pilot made a forced landing to a field with the main landing gear still retracted. During the landing, the left wing came into contact with a fence post and severed the wing. The vintage airplane was not equipped with fuel gauges and the pilot reported that he did not visually inspect the fuel tanks before takeoff and estimated that he had enough fuel to complete a cross-country flight to a nearby airport. Examination of the airplane revealed that the main fuel tank was empty.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 540 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 515 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2005; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,305 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental C85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T94 San Antonio TX
- Destination: Waco TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.