Amateur-built ACRO II accident near Milford, New Jersey, May 20, 2024
On May 20, 2024 at about 8:23 pm local time, a 1987 amateur-built ACRO II, registered N86RL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Milford, New Jersey. 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
The pilot’s lack of familiarity with the airplane’s fuel system, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2024 · about 8:23 pm local time
- Place
- Milford, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ACRO II, built 1987
- Registration
- N86RL · registry record · serial 459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental amateur-built biplane stated that he had just purchased the airplane and intended to fly it to his home airport. Prior to the flight he asked the previous owner questions about the fuel indicator tube (a sight gauge indicating the fuel quantity) and noted that it had no markings. He subsequently departed for the planned the 2 hour and 12-minute flight with fuel tank completely filled with 26 gallons of fuel and assumed an 8 gallon per hour fuel consumption rate. About 1 hour and 15 minutes into the flight, the fuel sight gauge began showing a reduced fuel level in the tank, and indicated what the pilot though was 7/8 of a tank of fuel remaining. After flying 20 more minutes the fuel gauge indicated 1/2 tank of fuel, and after 15 more minutes of flying the fuel gauge was getting close to empty. He flew another 15 minutes and was about 10 minutes from his destination airport when the engine lost all power. He immediately looked for a place to make an emergency landing. He lined up on a field and landed smoothly. During the landing rollout, tall grass wrapped around the main landing gear and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the biplane’s top wing and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane and that the airplane ran out of fuel.
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 defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,866 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,866 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 20, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 772 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 5,469 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PYM Plymouth MA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: WV22 Hedgesvile WV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from ABE, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 28, 2024. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | 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.