Quicksilver SPRINT II accident near Douglas, Kansas, August 6, 2011
On August 6, 2011 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Quicksilver SPRINT II, registered N403BP, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Douglas, Kansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2011 · about 11:00 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Douglas, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quicksilver SPRINT II · all SPRINT IIs on the register
- Registration
- N403BP · no longer on the register · serial 0662
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while conducting a local flight, the airplane's engine began to lose power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and the airplane began to descend. The pilot initially chose a field in which to land, but a barbed wire fence obstructed the selected landing area. The pilot then attempted to land past the barbed wire fence; however, the airplane stalled and impacted terrain. The hard landing resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. An examination of the airplane revealed a lack of fuel throughout the fuel system. After adding fuel to the airplane's fuel tanks, the engine operated normally.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level other cases naming the fuel system
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SN52 Douglass KS
- Destination: SN52 Douglass KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KIAB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 15, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Not Obtained | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence with FAA Inspectors | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N403BP: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Quicksilver SPRINT II 14 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Quicksilver 138 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rotax 582DCDI 578 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Pilot Pointe Estates Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Kansas 1,147 since 1982 · 149 in the last ten years
- Kansas 5,760 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN11CA551.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.