Probable cause
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
NTSB analysis
While descending to land, the pilot called his wife and told her the airplane had run out of fuel and was going to crash. The airplane impacted a tree line and then subsequently descended into a field. After the accident, the pilot again contacted his wife and told her that he did not know his location. The pilot's wife called 911, and the airplane was subsequently located in the field about 2 1/2 miles south of the destination airport. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no fuel in either the airplane or on the ground near the airplane.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13LA339 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 11, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Festus, Missouri
- Nearest airport
- Festus Memorial Airport (FES)
- Highest injury
- Serious
- Serious injuries
- 2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Amateur-built T211
- N-number
- N211BY
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.