Burril Benjamin D BDB001 N191CK

Summary

On 17 May 2023 at about 21:00 local time, a Burril Benjamin D BDB001 registered N191CK was involved in an accident near Wadesboro, North Carolina, 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.

Date

17 May 2023 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wadesboro, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.1126, -80.1199

Aircraft

Burril Benjamin D BDB001

Registration

N191CK

Category

Airplane

Year built

2017

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wadesboro → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA241

1 person had minor injuries.

A reported total loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing for reasons that could not be determined because the pilot did not make the wreckage available for examination.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that about 30 minutes into the flight, at 3,400 ft mean sea level, the electric fuel pump light extinguished, meaning that the selected pump was not operating. The engine subsequently lost all power. He reversed course, changed to the other fuel pump, and the engine restarted. About 6-7 minutes later, the fuel pump light extinguished again, followed by another total loss of engine power. He maneuvered to a nearby field for a forced landing; however, the main landing gear struck a tree and the airplane spun to the ground. The wreckage came to rest inverted in a wooded area and there was no fire. The pilot, who built the airplane, sustained serious injuries and the airframe was substantially damaged. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducted a cursory examination of the airplane at the accident site but was unable to examine the engine. The wreckage was recovered to the pilot’s personal hangar. The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) interviewed the pilot after the accident and requested that he preserve the wreckage and advise on a date where an examination of the engine and fuel system could be performed. Despite making several attempts to coordinate a wreckage examination over the course of four months, the pilot eventually responded that he had disposed of most of the wreckage. Since the wreckage was not available to be examined, the reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.