Tumbling Goose LLC 12S accident near Zellwood, Florida, July 11, 2016
On July 11, 2016 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 2016 Tumbling Goose LLC 12S, registered N867TG, was destroyed in an accident during landing near Zellwood, Florida (Tangerine 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
A total loss of engine power during descent for reasons that could not be determined because impact damage precluded a complete examination of the fuel servo.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2016 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Zellwood, Florida · Tangerine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Tumbling Goose LLC 12S, built 2016
- Registration
- N867TG · no longer on the register · serial 353
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that this was his second flight in his newly manufactured, experimental exhibition airplane. Earlier in the morning, the pilot flew the airplane for 30 minutes over the airport to become familiar with the airplane and noted no anomalies. Several hours later, the pilot departed again to perform aerobatics. While returning to the airport, he reduced power to descend, and once the airplane was at the desired altitude, he advanced the throttle, but the engine did not respond. He then looked at the engine monitor and noted that the engine had lost total power. The pilot noticed a positive indication of fuel pressure, and he used the primer switch, which bypassed the fuel servo, to restart the engine. Once he released the switch, the engine again lost power. The pilot added that, when the airplane was over the airport, he set up for landing, but he believed that the airplane was going too fast to land, so he used the primer switch to develop engine power and perform a go-around maneuver. During the next approach, the pilot slowed the airplane, and once over the runway, he flared for landing. The airplane continued to fly about 10 ft above ground level (agl) down the length of the runway. The pilot tried using the primer switch again to perform another go-around maneuver, but about 200 ft agl, the engine lost total power. He then tried to perform a forced landing to a clearing but impacted trees and terrain before the clearing. Postaccident examination of the engine confirmed engine control and fuel system continuity up to the fuel servo. The fuel servo could not be tested due to impact damage; therefore, the cause of the loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during landing defining event
- Landing area overshoot during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,486 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,445 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 4, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 16, 2016; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Barrett Performance Engine Vedeneyev M14 (piston); 8 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FL97 Zellwood FL at 3:50 pm
- Destination: FL97 Zellwood FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from LEE, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 19, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement - Engine Examination | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.
