CEN26LA204

NTSB accident investigation · Mustang Aeronautics Mustang II · Richmond, TX · May 28, 2026

Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary report
Date
May 28, 2026, 14:40 local (19:40 UTC)
Place
Richmond, TX · Open field just south of the airport
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N160MTMustang Aeronautics Mustang II
Defining event
Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Investigation ongoing
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA Houston FSDO, Lycoming Engines
FAA report
20260528008169A
Case key
203079

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 28, 2026, about 1440 central daylight time, a Mustang Aeronautics Mustang II airplane, N160MT, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Richmond, Texas. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he had recently purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane, and the airplane was based at the Covey Trails Airport (X09), Richmond, Texas. The airplane departed from X09 and was performing multiple touch-and-go landings to the single turf runway at the airport. While performing the multiple touch-and-go landings, the pilot reported he was utilizing the carburetor heat. During the final touch-and-go landing, just after the takeoff, the engine sustained a partial loss of power. The engine was unable to provide sufficient power to climb, and the pilot performed a forced landing. The airplane impacted a metal fence, and it came to rest upright on a flat grass field just to the south of X09 near a residential area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to both wings. The pilot reported that during the recovery of the airplane from the accident site, he drained about 10 gallons of 100 low lead fuel from the fuselage fuel tank (the sole fuel tank that has a 25-gallon useable capacity). The airplane was recovered from the accident site, and it was transported to a secure location for future examination. The airplane, which was built in 2007, was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-E2A reciprocating engine and a Sensenich Propeller Company 70CM6S16 two-blade fixed pitch aluminum propeller.

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
N160MT
Reported as
Mustang Aeronautics Mustang II (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
10160M
Built
2007
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
X09 · Richmond, TX
Destination
X09 · Richmond, TX

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) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
86 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
29.94 inHg
Observed at
KTME, 8 nm away
METAR
METAR KTME 281935Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 30/21 A2994 RMK AO2

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.