Cessna 140 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, May 20, 2001
On May 20, 2001 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N77241, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Bourland Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the inadvertent ground loop during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the gusty crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2001 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Bourland Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N77241 · no longer on the register · serial 11703
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
the pilot reported that the tail-wheel equipped airplane ground looped after encountering a "sudden right crosswind gust" during the landing roll. The left wing contacted the runway, and the left main landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported the wind was from 220-240 degrees at 10-15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The wind at the nearest weather observation facility (approximately 32 nautical miles northeast of the accident site) was reported from 200 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 18 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 177 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 2001; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 50F Fort Worth TX at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 50F Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,092 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FTW, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.