Dennis D Downs CCK-1865 N3151

Summary

On 12 May 2023 at about 01:30 local time, a Dennis D Downs CCK-1865 registered N3151 was involved in an accident near Sterling, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 May 2023 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sterling, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.5399, -150.8703

Aircraft

Dennis D Downs CCK-1865

Registration

N3151

Category

Airplane

Year built

2015

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC23LA034

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an interview, the non-certificated pilot reported that he departed from a private airstrip without conducting a preflight inspection and was unaware of how much fuel was in the airplane. After departure the engine lost all power. The pilot turned the airplane back to the airstrip but did not have the altitude, and subsequently the airplane impacted trees along a road. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage during the accident sequence. The non-certificated pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During recovery of the airplane the non-certificated pilot reported that there was no fuel in either fuel tank and he suspected the airplane ran out of fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.