Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lyme, New Hampshire 03768
Wednesday, August 3, 2005 14:03 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the takeoff the airplane became airborne half way down the runway, "leveled off" and accelerated in a northerly direction, then began to climb. After leveling off once more at approximately 300 feet above ground level, the airplane suddenly appeared to roll to the right, and descend in a nose down attitude into a cornfield fatally injuring the pilot and his passenger. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. A post-crash fire had consumed the majority of the fuselage and no preimpact mechanical failures with the engine or airplane were evident, however; no evidence of the engine producing power at impact was present. The surviving portions of the fuel system were devoid of fuel or fuel residue. During the investigation it was revealed that, the right main fuel tank unlike the left, was designed with a standpipe, which was plumbed to the outlet connection to provide a reserve fuel supply. Under normal conditions fuel would cease to be drawn from the tank when the fuel level became even with the top of the standpipe. The reserve fuel supply would always remain in the lower portion of the right tank until the pilot selected the "reserve line" which would draw fuel from a sump in the lowest part of the right tank. Printed guidance stated, that "when tanks are full take off on the right main tank," otherwise "take off on the fullest tank." A placard was installed on the airplane that read: "CAUTION: Unless Right Tank is full, use Reserve or Left Tank for Takeoff and Landing." Examination of the fuel selector revealed that the handle's pointer corresponded to a position in the R.H. MAIN quadrant area of the fuel selector placard, and a horizontal gouge was evident on the left side of the placard, that corresponded to selection of the fuel source as the right main tank.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in an incorrect fuel selector position, fuel starvation, and subsequent loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1403
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lyme
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03768
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435177N
Event Location Longitude 0721028W
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.2
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 430
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID LEB
Elevation of weather observation facility 603
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.94
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20433
NTSB Notification Source FAA NEROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 3 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2006 2:46PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, ME

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N49646
NTSB Number IAD05LA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Convair
Aircraft Model BT-13A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 6685
Certified Max Gross Weight 4350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2.5
Airframe Hours 3205.9
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lawrence R. Smith Jr.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Collingsville
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06019
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Lyme
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1402
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CT24
Destination City Canaan
Destination State CT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 27 2006 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 1870
Runway Width 85
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --