Purtee Kevin M PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER N899KP

Summary

On 22 July 2012 at about 20:40 local time, a Purtee Kevin M PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER registered N899KP, operated by Purtee Kevin M, was involved in an accident near Broadhead, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 July 2012 at 20:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Broadhead, Wisconsin, United States

Coordinates

42.5883, -89.3717

Aircraft

Purtee Kevin M PIETENPOL AIRCAMPER

Registration

N899KP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Purtee Kevin M

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Broadhead → Austin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA469

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to adequately remove water-contaminated fuel during the preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during takeoff, and his decision to initiate a turn back to the runway with insufficient airspeed, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot's wife stated that the airplane's engine was running rough prior to the flight and that her husband had drained a significant amount of water from the fuel drain. Once he thought the water was drained from the system, he departed. A witness saw the airplane climb to treetop level and enter a left turn as if the pilot was trying to turn back to the airport when the engine lost power. The airplane then made a hard left turn and descended straight down to the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and both wings. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed water in the fuel line downstream of the fuel valve.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.