Amateur-built Avid Commuter accident near Crawford, Texas, April 28, 2001
On April 28, 2001 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Avid Commuter, registered N142LP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crawford, Texas (Scott Field (Private)). 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 loss of engine power on takeoff initial climb due to fuel starvation as a result of an air blocked fuel line. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2001 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crawford, Texas · Scott Field (Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Avid Commuter
- Registration
- N142LP · no longer on the register · serial 849
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built experimental airplane had not been flown for a period of time. During the preflight, at the owner's direction, the old fuel was drained. Subsequently, nine gallons of fuel were put in the aircraft. No discrepancies were noted during the runup and pretakeoff taxi. During the takeoff/initial climb, when the pilot banked the airplane to the right the engine "stopped running." The airplane was 150-200 feet agl and there were a building and trees in the forced landing flight path. The pilot turned the airplane left for landing in a corn field; however, as he flared the airplane, he "felt a tremendous sink rate, then the impact." The airplane flipped to the inverted position. The aircraft owner reported that "air blocked the line to the header fuel tank."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 203 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 159 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 29, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 131 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2000; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Crawford TX at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.