# NTSB CHI06CA225: Weatherly 620B, N9012P, Sioux Center, IA, August 8, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 8, 2006, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Sioux Center, IA - Coordinates: 43.134998, -96.188331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1350&lon=-96.1883&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Des Moines FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64610 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI06CA225 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64610/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA225 ## Probable cause The pilot's mismanagement of the fuel system which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and his failure to maintain aircraft control during the subsequent forced landing. A factor to the accident was the soybean crop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, maneuvering - aerial application - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - crop (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The airplane experienced a loss of engine power while performing an aerial application turn and nosed over during the subsequent forced landing. The pilot reported that after maneuvering for approximately 1.5 hours he switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank. The pilot stated that he flew another 15 minutes before the engine lost power during a left-handed teardrop turn. The pilot reported that the loss of engine power "sounded as if the fuel was starved away from the engine, such as the way it would on shut-down." The pilot stated that the engine "made about three or four burping revolutions, then quit altogether." The pilot reported that the airplane was at 200 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that he advanced the mixture control to full rich, set the propeller to low pitch, and turned on the fuel pump. The engine did not restart and the pilot performed a forced landing to a soybean field. The pilot reported that the airplane nosed over during the landing rollout. Inspection of the wreckage showed that the fuel selector was positioned on the right tank. No fuel was found in the right tank, gascolator, or carburetor bowl. The interconnected left and center fuel tanks contained a significant quantity of fuel. The fuel samples collected were blue in color and free of any particulate or water contamination. ## Factual narrative The airplane experienced a loss of engine power while performing an aerial application turn and nosed over during the subsequent forced landing. The pilot reported that after maneuvering for approximately 1.5 hours he switched from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank. The pilot stated that he flew another 15 minutes before the engine lost power during a left-handed teardrop turn. The pilot reported that the loss of engine power "sounded as if the fuel was starved away from the engine, such as the way it would on shut-down." The pilot stated that the engine "made about three or four burping revolutions, then quit altogether." The pilot reported that the airplane was at 200 feet above ground level when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that he advanced the mixture control to full rich, set the propeller to low pitch, and turned on the fuel pump. The engine did not restart and the pilot performed a forced landing to a soybean field. The pilot reported that the airplane nosed over during landing rollout. Inspection of the wreckage showed that the fuel selector was positioned on the right tank. No fuel was found in the right tank, gascolator, or carburetor bowl. The interconnected left and center fuel tanks contained a significant quantity of fuel. The fuel samples collected were blue in color and free of any particulate or water contamination. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9012P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9012P-2022-05-09), registration cancelled 2022-05-09, S/N 1608 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Weatherly 620B - Registry model: [Weatherly 620B](https://openairdocs.org/model/weatherly-620b) (registry code 9630605) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1608 - Airframe hours: 1537 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-985 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Aerial application, Part 137 - Registered owner: West River Aerial, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 2006 - Departed: SOY, Sioux Center, IA - Destination: SOY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2006; seat: center; flight hours: 865 total, 368 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,600 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: ORC, 10 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060808017629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060808017629A), Aug 8, 2006: Wthrly 620B, Hull, IA, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft was conducting aerial application operations when the engine failed at approximately 200 feet AGL. While attempting an emergency landing in… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.