Aeronca 11AC accident near Van Horn, Texas, September 9, 1999
On September 9, 1999 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Aeronca 11AC, registered N9044E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Van Horn, Texas. 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
A restriction within the auxiliary fuel supply system and the rough terrain during the subsequent precautionary landing resulting on main gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1999 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Van Horn, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N9044E · no longer on the register · serial 11AC-675
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, who was the new owner of the airplane, the previous owner stated that the auxiliary fuel tank had not been used since he owned the airplane. The pilot filled the auxiliary fuel tank prior to the cross-country flight, sumped the tank twice for sediment and/or water, and found none. During the first two legs of the flight the auxiliary fuel tank appeared to be draining into the main fuel tank; however, during the third leg of the flight, the main fuel tank quantity went down to 1-2 gallons of fuel and the auxiliary fuel tank remained full. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing in an open area. During the landing roll, the main landing gear impacted a rut and collapsed. A mechanic, who helped recover the airplane, stated that the auxiliary fuel tank had drained into the main fuel tank by the time they recovered the airplane a few days after the accident.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 16,800 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FST Fort Stockton TX at 9:10 pm
- Destination: VHN Van Horn TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from FST, 30 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.