North American Harvard II T-6 accident near Leesville, South Carolina, October 23, 2004
On October 23, 2004 at about 9:50 pm local time, a North American Harvard II T-6, registered N92871, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesville, South Carolina (The Farm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination which blocked the flow of fuel which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2004 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Leesville, South Carolina · The Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American Harvard II T-6
- Registration
- N92871 · no longer on the register · serial 66-2633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator was offering airplane rides to citizens in the area as part of a community event sponsored by the operator. Shortly after the airplane took off, during a climbing left turn, the engine sputtered several times before the airplane disappeared behind a tree line. The accident site was approximately 1/4 statute mile from the departure end of runway 31. The examination of the fuel system revealed fuel present in the carburetor bowl, hand-driven fuel pump, engine-driven fuel pump, and carburetor fuel strainer. The fuel selector was observed in the reserve normal left tank position, fuel present in tank selected, and all ports were free of debris. Examination of engine components revealed that sediment was in the carburetor bowl, hand-driven fuel pump, engine-driven fuel pump screen, and carburetor fuel strainer. Examination of the low fuel pressure warning light in the cockpit revealed that the filament within the bulb glass contained gross elongation of the filament coils and was heavily distorted, features consistent with receiving an impact while hot.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Crew member
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,030 hours in all; 304 in this make and model; 194 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 1,897 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2004
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,047 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 8, 2004; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,167 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: T-6 LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Leesville SC at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,400 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from kcae, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N92871 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.