CEN26LA190

NTSB accident investigation · Downer 14-19-3 · Forney, TX · May 16, 2026

Accident · FatalClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary report
Date
May 16, 2026, 00:10 local (05:10 UTC)
Place
Forney, TX
Injuries
1 fatal, 2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N7NLDowner 14-19-3
Defining event
Enroute-cruise: Fuel related
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Investigation ongoing
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA Flight Standards
Case key
203010

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Preliminary report

What NTSB knew early in the investigation. It may change in the final report.

On May 16, 2026, about 0010 central daylight time, a Downer 14-19-3 airplane, N7NL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Forney, Texas. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. A second passenger initially survived the accident but died 13 days later from injuries sustained in the accident. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The pilot was diverting to an alternate airport due to gusty wind conditions when the engine began to run rough. The pilot could not maintain altitude and ultimately executed a forced landing in an open construction area. The airplane nosed over during the landing. The airplane sustained damage to the fuselage, both wings, empennage, and firewall forward resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The airplane was recovered for further examination.

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Aircraft

Registration
N7NL
Reported as
Downer 14-19-3 (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
4206
Built
1960
Airframe hours
1,541
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 13, 2025 · 151 hours before
Departed
KDUA · Durant, OK
Destination
F46 · Rockwall, TX
Equipment
ADS-B

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind
150° at 11 knots, gusting 26
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
86 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
29.80 inHg
Observed at
KHQZ, 7 nm away
METAR
METAR KHQZ 162350Z 15011G26KT 10SM CLR 30/17 A2980=