Focke-Wulf FWP 149D accident near St. Augustine, Florida, May 5, 1995
On May 5, 1995 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Focke-Wulf FWP 149D, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N253FW, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Augustine, Florida (St Augustine airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE FUEL MANAGEMENT BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND RESULTING IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1995 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida · St Augustine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Focke-Wulf FWP 149D, amateur-built · all FWP 149Ds on the register
- Registration
- N253FW · registry record · serial 253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE TURNING LEFT CROSSWIND AT 300-400 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO WAS DEMONSTRATING THE AIRPLANE TO THE CURRENT OWNER TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AND MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE FOR LANDING. DURING THE DESCENT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE BENEATH THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE IMPACT DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND INLET FUEL LINE TO THE PRESSURE CARBURETOR REVEALED ONLY 1 OR 2 DROPS OF FUEL IN EACH COMPONENT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE FULLEST OF THE TWO TANKS BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR 25 MINUTES AT THE TIME OF 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 763 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 601 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-B1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGJ at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from CRG, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
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 MIA95LA126.