Quartz Mountain Aerospace INC 11E accident near Inglis, Florida, June 25, 2010
On June 25, 2010 at about 7:06 pm local time, a Quartz Mountain Aerospace INC 11E, registered N216JD, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Inglis, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's fuel mismanagement.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 2010 · about 7:06 pm local time
- Place
- Inglis, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quartz Mountain Aerospace INC 11E · all 11Es on the register
- Registration
- N216JD · no longer on the register · serial 11E-1003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilots, they flew the rented airplane the day before the accident and returned it to the fixed base operator (FBO) to have it topped off with fuel. Later that evening, they flew it for about 2 hours, conducting touch-and-go landings at several different airports. They returned to the FBO late at night and did not refuel the airplane. The next morning, they split the preflight responsibilities. One pilot inspected the right side of the airplane, and the other pilot inspected the left side of the airplane. The fuel gauges were reportedly checked by one of the pilots, who thought the tanks were full. They subsequently departed with a passenger and reached their first destination after an estimated 30 minutes of flight. Afterward, they departed for an estimated hour-long flight to have lunch at a different location. After lunch, they took off for another airport 36 miles away to refuel, before returning the airplane back to the FBO. Ten minutes into the flight, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The attempted engine restarts were unsuccessful, the pilot in command (PIC) elected to land in a field, and the airplane nosed over before coming to a stop. The three occupants were able to exit the airplane on their own. One of the pilots subsequently stated that a "miscalculation of the amount of fuel onboard” led to the accident. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector stated that there was very little evidence of residual fuel, and no indiction of preexisting fuel leakage at the accident site.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Fuel exhaustion during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 501 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 327 as pilot in command; 42 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 439 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,280 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-360-ES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDK Cedar Key FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from OCF, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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.