Amateur-built Midget Mustang accident near Orange, Texas, March 30, 2001
On March 30, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Midget Mustang, registered N11DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Orange, Texas (Orange County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions during the landing roll which resulted in a loss of control. A contributing factor was the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Orange, Texas · Orange County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Midget Mustang
- Registration
- N11DB · no longer on the register · serial 436
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on runway 4, the tail-wheel equipped homebuilt airplane touched down on all three landing gear at 85 mph. After rolling about 100 feet, the aircraft swerved left, and exited the runway. The pilot applied full right rudder, which had no effect. The airplane traveled through a barbed wire fence before coming to a stop nose down in a "flooded" cow pasture. The wind at the time of the accident was from 320 degrees at 8 knots.
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
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 8,950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 945 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OPL Opelousas LA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: ORG Orange TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,396 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BPT, 13 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.