Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Pierce County - Thun Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Puyallup, Washington 98374
Saturday, March 19, 2011 11:15 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern during an instructional flight, and the pilots performed the prelanding checklist, switched the fuel selector to the right tank position, and activated the fuel boost pump. According to the flight instructor, the airplane “began sinking” while on final approach for the runway. When the pilots tried to add engine power, the engine did not respond, and the airplane collided with terrain short of the runway. The manufacturer’s approved checklist for the airplane indicates that the auxiliary fuel boost pump should be in the off position before landing. A representative from the engine manufacturer reported that operating the auxiliary fuel boost pump at a low engine power setting would “flood” the engine and result in a loss of engine power. It is likely that when the pilots applied power, the engine was flooded, which resulted in the total loss of engine power. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded engine operations.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilots’ activation of the fuel boost pump while preparing to land, which was contrary to checklist procedures and resulted in a loss of engine power.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/19/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1115 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Puyallup |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98374 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 470614N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1221713W |
| Event Location Airport | Pierce County Airport - Thun |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PLU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 538 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 945 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PLU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 538 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 10 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29990 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NWM ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 16 2012 8:22PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6169Z |
| NTSB Number | WPR11LA168 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | TU206G |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | U20606172 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 30 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4308 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CIVIL AIR PATROL |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | MAXWELL |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 36112-6332 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CIVIL AIR PATROL |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | MAXWELL |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 36112-6332 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PLU |
| Departure City | Puyallup |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1000 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PLU |
| Destination City | Puyallup |
| Destination State | WA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 16 2012 8:23PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 3650 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |