NTSB Factual Report

On November 24, 1993, about 1120 central standard time N38BT, an experimental, homebuilt Mustang II, registered to the pilot, William I.S. Thompson, crashed near Jackson, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot received fatal injuries. The flight was originating at the time.

Witnesses at the scene stated that the airplane was observed to take off and start climbing normally. Shortly thereafter, they heard the engine fail and the airplane crashed in a field near the airport. As the rescuers attempted to help the pilot there was an explosion and the airplane was destroyed by fire.

The engine was removed from the wreckage and transported to a local shop. The engine, a Ford V6 automotive engine was examined and no preimpact failures or faults were found by the FAA inspector who examined the engine. The airplane records available indicated, and friends of the pilot stated that the pilot had reported that the engine had failed once before and he had purchased a heavy duty dual ignition module, and installed it inside the fuselage because he feared that the heat in the engine compartment might harm it. The ignition module was removed and shipped to the NTSB Southeast Regional Office. Attempts were made to examine the module but it was too badly heat damaged to determine if any prefire/preimpact failures were present.

NTSB Probable Cause

AN ENGINE FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.