De Havilland DHC-1 N6540C
24 June 2010 · Port Orchard, Washington, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 24 June 2010 at about 01:52 local time, a De Havilland DHC-1 registered N6540C, operated by John Geyman, was involved in an accident near Port Orchard, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:52
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Port Orchard, Washington, United States
- Nearest airport
- Vaughan Ranch Airfield (WN13)
- Coordinates
- 47.4700, -122.5714
- Aircraft
- De Havilland DHC-1
- Registration
- N6540C
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- John Geyman
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Port Orchard → Port Orchard
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR10LA313
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power during initial climb due to water contamination in the fuel.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he performed several engine runs prior to departure as the airplane had not flown in approximately 15 months. After departure, and about 400 to 500 feet above the ground, the engine lost power without warning. The pilot initiated a forced landing through tall trees to a heavily vegetated field. The airplane's engine separated from its mount and the empennage was bent approximately 30 degrees to the left. Both wings and the fuselage were bent and wrinkled. The airplane's maintenance records indicated that a conditional inspection had been signed off just before the accident flight. A postaccident examination of the airplane was performed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a mechanic. During the inspection, a mixture of fuel and water was found in an unsumpable gascolator located on the firewall. The owner of the airplane reported that the airplane had been parked outside for several days prior to the accident flight, and during this time it rained heavily in the area.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other De Havilland DHC-1 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Jul 2011 | De Havilland DHC-1 | Benton, Kansas, United States | Frazier Michael E. | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 2014 | De Havilland DHC-1 | Vonore, Tennessee, United States | Maroney James L | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 2017 | De Havilland DHC 1 | Cedartown, Georgia, United States | Durashok LLC | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1997 | De Havilland DHC-1 | Winlock, Washington, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 6 Nov 2024 | De Havilland DHC-1 | East Troy, Wisconsin, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1995 | De Havilland DHC-1 | Hammond, Wisconsin, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 2010 | Piper PA-15 | Duvall, Washington, United States | Petersen Rodger E | Minor injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 2010 | Tarantola Leonard RV-6A | Onalaska, Washington, United States | Decker Richard A | No injuries | - |
| 14 Jun 2010 | Waco UKC-S | Seattle, Washington, United States | Kenneth D. Horwitz | No injuries | - |
| 14 Oct 2010 | Mischke BD-5B | Burlington, Washington, United States | David Mischke | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 2010 | Schweizer G-164B | Prescott, Washington, United States | Blue Mountain Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 16 Oct 2010 | Deitz AVID FLYER MK4 | Colville, Washington, United States | Harrell Hartman | Minor injuries | - |