Skip to content

FTW89DRG10

1989-09-16 · KERRVILLE, Texas, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ERV

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL.

Factual narrative

THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS ON AN EXTENDED BASE LEG TO LAND WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE ARPT & THE ACFT STRUCK A TREE & CRASHED BEFORE REACHING A CLEAR AREA. LESS THAN ONE CUP OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY WAS CONFIRMED BY THE INVESTIGATOR. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FOUND OF INTERNAL POWERPLANT FAILURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_FTW89DRG10.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.