Aero Vodochody L-39ZA accident near Barnhart, Texas, May 2, 2023
On May 2, 2023 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1986 Aero Vodochody L-39ZA, registered N343WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Barnhart, Texas. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to water-contaminated fuel from an undetermined source.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2023 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Barnhart, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody L-39ZA, built 1986 · all L-39ZAs on the register
- Registration
- N343WT · registry record · serial 633911
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after taking off and climbing through about 7,300 ft mean sea level (msl), he heard a “pop” noise. He scanned the engine instruments and saw them “rolling back.” The pilot pitched the airplane for best glide and attempted to restart the engine, which was unsuccessful. Unable to restart the engine, the pilot performed a forced landing to a dirt road in a field, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that he had flown to the departure airport the day before the accident, had the airplane refueled with 342 gallons of fuel, and had the airplane secured in a hangar before taking off for the accident flight. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have contributed to a loss of engine power. Fuel recovered from the airplane fuel sump after the accident was tested for contaminants. Water was detected in that fuel sample at a rate of 55 parts per million (ppm), which is considered an acceptable level. However, recovery personnel stated that when the airplane was de-fueled during the recovery process, the ½ gallon capacity fuel-water separator filter clogged and filled with water 3 times. The recovery personnel further stated the airplane had not been rained on after the accident and before recovery. Fuel was tested from the source where the airplane was refueled before the accident flight and water was detected at less than 15 ppm and no fuel related issues were reported by the operators of the other aircraft refueled from the same source. Fuel is capable of absorbing water directly from the atmosphere via the ventilation system of the fuel system/storage tank or through condensation in the tank. However, investigators were not able to verify if that occurred. The circumstances of the accident, coupled with the finding of undissolved water in the fuel during the recovery of the airplane, is consistent with a total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. However, the source of the water in the fuel could not be determined based on available evidence.
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
- Fuel contamination during prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,035 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 169 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 3,962 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 15, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 94 hours in all
- Last flight review: March 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,633 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 23, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 12,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ivchenko AI-25TL (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Phantom Phlyers LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 8:39 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 27.85 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from SJT, 40 miles away
Weather report (METAR): 3:51 PM 84 °F 55 °F 37 % E 7 mph 0 mph 27.85 in 0.0 in Fair
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 WPR23LA183.