- Date
- August 16, 2019, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hooper, WA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N433CTFlight Design CT2K
- Defining event
- Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190816023519A
- Case key
- 100093
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, an off-airport landing to a field, and a subsequent nose-over.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
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.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, 1 hour after takeoff, turbulence was getting bad, so he decided to return to the departure airport. Subsequently, the airplane ran out of fuel, and he made an off-airport landing in an open field. Upon landing, the airplane bounced, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, one hour en route to the destination airport, the turbulence was getting bad, so he decided to return to the departure airport. Subsequently, the airplane ran out of fuel and he made an off-airport landing in an open field. Upon landing, the airplane bounced, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N433CT
- Reported as
- Flight Design CT2K (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 02.08.04.33
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 583
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 15, 2018
- Departed
- 16W · Starbuck, WA
- Destination
- WA14 · Connell, WA
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Airframe parachute
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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 82
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 6, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 16,600 total · 35.5 in this make and model · 29.5 in the last 90 days · 21.2 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KALW, 35 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N433CT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.