Amateur-built TEXAS SPRT CUB TX11J accident near Avalon, California, January 4, 2014
On January 4, 2014 at about 8:52 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built TEXAS SPRT CUB TX11J, registered N114DE, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Avalon, California (Catalina airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 4, 2014 · about 8:52 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · Catalina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TEXAS SPRT CUB TX11J NO SERIES, built 2008
- Registration
- N114DE · registry record · serial TX1004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, about 30 minutes into the flight, he was over the water about 15 miles to the nearest land, when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made several attempts to restart the engine, each of which was unsuccessful; he subsequently initiated an emergency descent. The pilot circled a private vessel during the descent and ditched in the water nearby. He and his passenger exited the airplane before it sank and they were picked up by the vessel. The airplane was not recovered.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Not specified
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,693 hours in all; 286 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,589 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 221 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 1, 2013; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300A (piston); 221 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA
- Destination: AVX Avalon CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from KAVX, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 WPR14CA087.