Amateur-built Nieuport II accident near Talladega, Alabama, August 17, 2019
On August 17, 2019 at about 5:42 pm local time, a 2016 amateur-built Nieuport II, registered N112GV, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Talladega, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion after the pilot inadvertently kicked a fuel line during turbulence, which resulted in a forced landing into trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2019 · about 5:42 pm local time
- Place
- Talladega, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Nieuport II, built 2016
- Registration
- N112GV · registry record · serial 143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot filled his experimental amateur-built airplane with 10 gallons of fuel before the cross-country flight. During the 55-minute flight, the airplane used about 3 gallons of fuel. During the return flight, the pilot climbed the airplane to 5,000 ft mean sea level to avoid "bad" turbulence. Shortly thereafter, the pilot noticed the fuel gauge was indicating 4 gallons and quickly fell to 0 gallons before the engine lost all power. The pilot made a forced landing on top of the trees bordering a road with traffic then collided with the terrain adjacent to the road, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the fuel line to the sump, which was installed underneath the instrument panel between the rudder pedals, was broken. During the turbulence, the pilot likely inadvertently kicked the fuel line with his steel-toe boots, shearing it off at the fuel line connection barb, resulting in fuel exhaustion.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Effect on personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Damaged/degraded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel filter › strainer › Design
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Unnecessary action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 132.8 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 98 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 11, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (piston); 53 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKY Bessemer AL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: ASN Talladega AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from PLR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA19TA254.