Amateur-built GLASAIR 1 accident near Rusk, Texas, July 31, 1993
On July 31, 1993 at about 9:03 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASAIR 1, registered N16LA, was destroyed in an accident near Rusk, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT THE PROPER FUEL TANK WHICH RESULTED IN A FUEL STARVATION ENGINE POWER LOSS AND HIS INADVERTANT ENTRY INTO A STALL DURING 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
- July 31, 1993 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Rusk, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR 1
- Registration
- N16LA · no longer on the register · serial 203
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DEPART ON WHAT ONE CHARACTERIZED AS A SHORT FIELD MAX ANGLE CLIMB TAKEOFF FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, THE PILOT RADIOED ON UNICOM THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT, BUT DID NOT SAY WHY. THE WITNESSES THEN SAW THE AIRPLANE ENTER A RIGHT BANK AND NOSE DOWN. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THAT THE PILOT SWITCHED TANKS AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART WITHOUT SUCCESS AND THAT THE PILOT 'STALLED IT' IN THE TURN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD NO MEMORY OF THE FLIGHT. FUEL CALCULATIONS INDICATED THAT THE MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE AUXILIARY WAS FULL OR CLOSE TO FULL. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND IN EITHER THE AIRFRAME OR THE ENGINE. THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN REFUELED FOLLOWING A RECENT 3 HOUR CROSS COUNTRY.
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: 533 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 480 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 627 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 26, 1993; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JSO at 9:02 pm
- Destination: JSO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.