# NTSB SEA07CA221: Britten-Norman BN-2A-20, N6561B, Stanley, ID, July 15, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 15, 2007, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Stanley, ID - Coordinates: 44.20861, -114.934448 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2086&lon=-114.9344&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 66399 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07CA221 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66399/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA221 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to verify that the airplane was refueled, which resulted in a loss of engine power from both engines due to fuel exhaustion and a forced landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, takeoff - initial climb - 2 engines - refueling - not verified, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency landing after takeoff - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing after takeoff - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis According to the pilot, before the flight, prior to the accident flight, he placed a fuel order, but did not verify that the twin-engine airplane was refueled before departing with 8 passengers for a cross country flight. This flight reached its destination without incident, the passengers exited the airplane, and the pilot then departed as the sole occupant of the airplane on a repositioning flight. Shortly after takeoff, at an altitude of about 400 feet agl, the left engine "started to sputter." The pilot executed the engine failure checklist and upon retarding the left throttle, the airplane yawed to the left "giving [the pilot] the impression it was still producing power." He decided not to shut down the engine and began a right turn to return to the departure airport. During the turn, the right engine "started to sputter," and he noticed the "fuel tank indicators were both on empty." The pilot decided "to leave all controls forward and gave no further thought to shutting down or feathering either engine." Shortly thereafter, he realized he would not make the runway and elected to land in an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a ditch, resulting in collapse of the left main landing gear. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, before the flight prior to the accident flight, he placed a fuel order, but did not verify that the twin-engine airplane was refueled before departing with 8 passengers for a cross country flight. This flight reached its destination without incident, the passengers exited the airplane, and the pilot then departed as the sole occupant of the airplane on a repositioning flight. Shortly after takeoff, at an altitude of about 400 feet agl, the left engine "started to sputter." The pilot executed the engine failure checklist and upon retarding the left throttle, the airplane yawed to the left "giving [the pilot] the impression it was still producing power." He decided not to shut down the engine and began a right turn to return to the departure airport. During the turn, the right engine "started to sputter," and he noticed the "fuel tank indicators were both on empty." The pilot decided "to leave all controls forward and gave no further thought to shutting down or feathering either engine." Shortly thereafter, he realized he would not make the runway and elected to land in an open field. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered a ditch, resulting in collapse of the left main landing gear. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6561B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6561B), registered now, S/N 520, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Britten-Norman BN-2A-20 - Registry model: [Britten-Norman BN-2A-20](https://openairdocs.org/model/britten-norman-bn-2a-20) (registry code 1520220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 520 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1B5 reciprocating; Lycoming IO-540-K1B5 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Mountain Bird, Inc., doing business as Salmon Air - Registered owner: Spirit Air, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 2U7, Stanley, ID - Destination: SMN, Salmon, ID - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: 2U7, Stanley, runway 17, 4,300 × 150 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; flight hours: 1,825 total, 7 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 15 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles ## 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 20070715015579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070715015579A), Jul 15, 2007: Bnorm BN2A20, Stanley, ID, Substantial damage. (-23) After dropping off 8 passengers, the islander took off from Stanley airport, upon reaching 300 ft AGL, the port enigne lost power so pilot decided to… 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.