Amateur-built EAA BIPLANE P-2 accident near Wellington, Florida, December 22, 1997
On December 22, 1997 at about 10:45 pm local time, a amateur-built EAA BIPLANE P-2, registered N913AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellington, Florida (Wellington Aero Club airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to ensure the fuel selector was properly positioned to a tank with adequate fuel before takeoff, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power; failure of the pilot to accomplish the emergency procedure (restart the engine using another tank) after the loss of power; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering for a forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1997 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Florida · Wellington Aero Club · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAA BIPLANE P-2 EAA BIPLAN
- Registration
- N913AM · registry record · serial DCL-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a witness, the airplane reached an altitude of approximately 200 to 300 feet after takeoff, then the engine began to sputter. Another witness stated the airplane made a 180 degree turn back toward the runway before it entered a spin and crashed. According to another pilot, he flew the airplane for 35 to 40 minutes the day before, and the accident pilot flew 35 minutes on the day of the accident. The other pilot stated the front fuel tank held 14 1/2 gallons, and the fuel consumption was 8-9 gallons per hour. An FAA inspector stated that the fuel selector was set to the front fuel tank setting. The fuel lines were checked, and no fuel was found in the line from the front fuel tank to the engine. There was fuel in the line from the rear fuel tank. The airplane had been purchased by the pilot on 12/4/97 (18 days before the accident). A witness stated that he did not believe the pilot was comfortable in the airplane.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 226 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 29, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 1,380 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PBI, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL98LA029.