Amateur-built GLASAIR III accident near Crescent, Oklahoma, April 19, 1995
On April 19, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASAIR III, registered N55EE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crescent, Oklahoma. 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
TOTAL NON-MECHANICAL POWER LOSS DUE TO A FUEL SYSTEM VAPOR LOCK. A FACTOR WAS THE UNEVEN TERRAIN ON WHICH THE FORCED LANDING WAS MADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crescent, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR III GLASAIR II
- Registration
- N55EE · registry record · serial 3231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED AT PONCA CITY, OKLAHOMA, AFTER A FLIGHT FROM ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PERFUNCTORY CHECKS, THE ENGINE STARTED. IT RAN ROUGH INITIALLY, THEN SMOOTHED OUT. THE PILOT MADE A SHORT TEST FLIGHT AND DISCOVERED THE ENGINE OPERATED SMOOTHLY AT LOW AND HIGH MANIFOLD PRESSURE SETTINGS, BUT RAN ROUGH AT MID-RANGE MANIFOLD PRESSURE SETTINGS. SUSPECTING A FUEL VAPOR LOCK, THE RESTRICTOR VALVE IN THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS REPLACED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FOR OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA. NEAR CRESCENT, OKLAHOMA, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSE WHEEL HIT A SMALL DIP IN THE FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.
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: 954 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 270 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 13, 1994; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1H5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNC Ponca City OK at 6:15 pm
- Destination: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.