Cessna 140 accident near Winnsboro, Texas, June 21, 2001
On June 21, 2001 at about 1:13 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N73004, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnsboro, Texas (Winnsboro Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the loss of engine power during takeoff climb for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the ensuing forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2001 · about 1:13 pm local time
- Place
- Winnsboro, Texas · Winnsboro Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N73004 · no longer on the register · serial 10209
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had completed one takeoff and landing, and he conducted a preflight engine run up prior to the second takeoff. While the airplane was climbing through 875 feet msl, the "engine missed." The pilot applied carburetor heat and turned back toward the runway. The engine power "steadily decreased and the engine ultimately stopped." The pilot added that there "was no satisfactory place for an emergency landing" and that there was a clump of trees between the airplane and the runway. The airplane struck the trees, and subsequently, impacted the ground. An FAA inspector and a representative of the engine manufacturer examined the engine and found no anomalies that would have prevented its operation.
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: 1,404 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 27, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F51 Winnsboro TX at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 3,213 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from TYR, 42 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.