Amateur-built COZY Mark III accident near Mcdermitt, Oregon, August 3, 2023
On August 3, 2023 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1996 amateur-built COZY Mark III, registered N964AL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Mcdermitt, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2023 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mcdermitt, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COZY Mark III, built 1996
- Registration
- N964AL · registry record · serial 263
- 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, he had recently purchased the airplane and was in the process of relocating it to his home airport. During the flight, he had no way to monitor the fuel burn during the flight other than the fuel sight gauges, which he could not see due to objects blocking his view. While the pilot was not able to monitor the fuel burn during the flight, he did lean the fuel and routinely switched fuel tanks; he believed he had plenty of fuel for the flight. After flying for about 2 hours and 20 minutes, the airplane sustained a complete loss of engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, he conducted an off-airport landing to a dirt road. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered uneven terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. A visual inspection of the fuel system was conducted, and continuity was established from the main fuel tanks throughout the system; however, there was no fuel observed. A functional engine test was conducted, and a ground run was performed at various power settings uneventfully for about 5 minutes. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The total amount of fuel onboard the airplane before the flight could not be determined; however, given the lack of fuel found in the tanks after the accident and no indications of engine anomalies, it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,880 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 30, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 834.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 18, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 2,940 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHN Shelton WA at 4:20 pm
- Destination: BAM Battle Mountain NV
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 am from KREO, 21 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KREO 031852Z AUTO 00000KT 31/08 A3006 RMK AO1 SLP128 T03110083=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on February 13, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of E-mail Correspondence (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of E-mail Correspondence (Recovery Company) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Airframe and Engine Examination | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.