19971218039129A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cvac BT-13A · Oxford, CT · December 18, 1997

Date: December 18, 1997 · 12:15 local
Place: Oxford, CT
Airport: Waterbury-Oxford
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N67868
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC98LA044
Reported as: Cvac BT13A
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R985AN3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,330 total30 in this make and model94 in the last 90 days

N67868Registered now · Consolidated Vultee BT-13AS/N 1421 Airframe modelConsolidated Vultee BT-13A Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Lost power on climbout. Made 180 and landed in trees. (.4)the pilots departed in the BT-13A. A witness observed the airplane climb at about 50 degree nose up. As the airplane passed through about 125 feet above the ground, it did an immediate left wing down turn and dove into the trees beyond the horizon. The pilots reported the engine lost power, and the fuel selector was on the left tank. Post accident examination revealed 17 gallons of fuel in the left tank, and the right tank empty. Fuel was also found in the carburetor.

As the FAA filed it

LOST POWER ON CLIMBOUT. MADE 180 AND LANDED IN TREES. (.4)THE PILOTS DEPARTED IN THE BT-13A. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE CLIMB AT ABOUT 50 DEGREE NOSE UP. AS THE AIRPLANE PASSED THROUGH ABOUT 125 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, IT DID AN IMMEDIATE LEFT WING DOWN TURN AND DOVE INTO THE TREES BEYOND THE HORIZON. THE PILOTS REPORTED THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED 17 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, AND THE RIGHT TANK EMPTY. FUEL WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98LA044Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOxford, CTThe loss of power for undetermined reasons.Dec 18, 1997 · Substantial damage