Amateur-built EAA Bi-Plane May Bee accident near West, Texas, August 3, 2002
On August 3, 2002 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built EAA Bi-Plane May Bee, registered N11S, was substantially damaged in an accident near West, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight/planning inspection which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2002 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- West, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAA Bi-Plane May Bee
- Registration
- N11S · registry record · serial JS-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot purchased the single-place airplane on the day of the accident and was briefed by the previous owner that the airplane burned 8-10 gallons of fuel per hour. The main fuel tank (16 gallons) was topped off and the pilot elected to not fill the auxiliary fuel tank (8 gallons), in order to remain within the airplane's weight and balance limitations. The pilot spent approximately 5-10 minutes taxiing the airplane and performing the pre-takeoff engine run-up. At 1620, the flight departed for a 64 nautical mile flight, and arrived at 1710. The pilot intended on landing at the municipal airport; however, upon landing, the pilot realized that he had landed at an abandoned airstrip used by agricultural operators, located 2 miles southwest of the municipal airport. There were no fuel services available at the airstrip, and the pilot noted that the airplane's fuel gauge indicated 8 gallons. The pilot elected to depart and fly to another airport 27 miles south to re-fuel, rather than traveling back north to the municipal airport. The pilot estimated that the he was on the ground approximately 5-10 minutes prior to departing. The flight departed and 15 minutes later, when the airplane was in cruise flight at 2,500 feet, the engine began sputtering and then lost power. The fuel gauge indicated that 1/2 tank of fuel remained at the time the engine lost power. The pilot noted a high sink rate and lowered the nose, while simultaneously banking to the right to avoid obstructions. Subsequently, the airplane entered a spin to the right before impacting a grass field. The fuel system was compromised during the accident. The fuel system contained only residual fuel and there was no evidence of fuel at the accident site.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 928 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 803 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 599 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 15, 2002; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,235 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Hillsboro TX at 10:10 pm
- Destination: ACT Waco TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from ACT, 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW02LA225.