- Date
- July 18, 2016, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Helena, MT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7645RBeech 19A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA HLN FSDO
- FAA report
- 20160718020159A
- Case key
- 93622
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 failure to reposition the fuel selector valve to the on position prior to takeoff resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to properly complete the pre-takeoff checklist.
Findings · 5
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 during the initial climb after takeoff, about 500 feet, the engine lost power. He made a left turn to return to the airport, but instead touched down hard next to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. This was the first flight following completion of an annual inspection. During the inspection maintenance personnel had placed the fuel selector valve (FSV) in the off position, and did not return it to the full on position before the flight. The pilot reported that he and the owner usually kept the fuel selector valve in the on position, and that he did not use a checklist or confirm that it was in the full on position before takeoff.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the initial climb after takeoff, about 500 feet, the engine lost power. He made a left turn to return to the airport, but instead touched down hard next to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. This was the first flight following completion of an annual inspection. During the inspection maintenance personnel had placed the fuel selector valve (FSV) in the off position, and did not return it to the full on position before the flight. The pilot reported that he and the owner usually kept the fuel selector valve in the on position, and that he did not use a checklist or confirm that it was in the full on position before takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7645R
- Reported as
- Beech 19A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MB-436
- Built
- 1969
- Engine
- Lycoming IO360 A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 22, 2016
- Departed
- HLN · Helena, MT
- Destination
- 38S · Deer Lodge, MT
- Airport
- HLN · Helena, runway 35, 2,989 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 500 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Icing
- Unknown
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- KHLN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 812 KB 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.