Globe GC-1B accident near Edgewood, Texas, December 18, 1999
On December 18, 1999 at about 10:17 pm local time, a Globe GC-1B, registered N80951, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edgewood, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a forced landing which resulted in a stall/spin. Contributing factors were the failure of the engine driven fuel pump, the engine manufacturer's use of an inadequate fuel pump which was only intended for automobile engines, and the FAA's certification of the engine with an inadequate component.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1999 · about 10:17 pm local time
- Place
- Edgewood, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Globe GC-1B · all GC-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N80951 · registry record · serial 1144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a radio call indicating that he had an engine problem or failure and was going down. Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude with the propeller not turning. As the airplane made a turn, its nose dropped, and the airplane descended and impacted the ground. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a nose down attitude. An examination of the WSK 'PZL-Rzeszow' (PZL) Franklin 6A-350-C1R engine revealed that the engine driven fuel pump had failed. It was determined that the inlet and outlet valve stems fractured due to fatigue. According to a PZL representative, PZL did not know who manufactured the pump and did 'not know characteristics' of the pump. Research revealed that this fuel pump was designed for use in the Chevrolet Corvair automobile. According to the pump manufacturer, the pump was intended strictly for automotive applications, and not intended for aviation use. The pump was designed to operate at 5.4 pounds per square inch minimum and 6.9 pounds per square inch maximum static pressure at the pump outlet when the pump is operated at 1,800 revolutions per minute. According to the PZL representative, the operating limits for fuel pressure in model 6A-350-C1R engines are 0.5 pounds per square inch minimum to 8.5 pounds per square inch maximum. The FAA issued 'Type Certification Data Sheet No. E9EA' for the PZL Franklin 6A-350-C1R engine on December 8, 1994.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,076 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,440 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,565 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 1999; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,970 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350-C1R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLR Sulphur Springs TX at 10:05 pm
- Destination: 1TA7 Canton TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from TRL, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.