Amateur-built TEENIE TWO accident near Abilene, Texas, October 7, 1998
On October 7, 1998 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built TEENIE TWO, registered N5576, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abilene, Texas (Elmdale Airpark airport). 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
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 1998 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Abilene, Texas · Elmdale Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TEENIE TWO
- Registration
- N5576 · no longer on the register · serial 5-10434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The engine of the homebuilt airplane lost power at approximately 300 feet agl after takeoff. The pilot initiated a forced landing into a plowed field north of the airport. After touchdown, the airplane rolled approximately 6 feet before the nose gear collapsed in the deep, soft ground. Subsequently, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that this was his first flight in the aircraft and that on the day of the accident, no problems were found during the preflight of the airplane. 'Run up was normal' and taxi testing just before takeoff was 'normal & handling characteristics were excellent.' The takeoff from runway 35 was 'excellent' and the airplane handled 'perfectly.' The pilot had completed an annual condition inspection during the previous month. He had also 'completed 5 sessions of taxi testing and high speed taxi testing' prior to the accident, and all of the tests had 'checked out well.'
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: 151 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 1998; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 590 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1600 CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6F4 at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,950 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°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.