Cessna 140 accident near Burlington, Wisconsin, June 29, 2011
On June 29, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2332V, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Burlington, Wisconsin (Burlington Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the fuel selector indicator handle, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Wisconsin · Burlington Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2332V · registry record · serial 14568
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he departed with the fuel selector set to the right fuel tank, which was full of fuel. About 30 minutes after departure, he made a touch-and-go landing and takeoff at his destination airport. During the initial climb, the engine started to lose power when the airplane was about 100 feet above the runway. The pilot entered a left turn and attempted to land on an adjacent grass runway, but the airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane’s fuel system revealed that the left fuel tank was empty and the right fuel tank was full of fuel. Examination of the airplane’s fuel selector revealed that the fuel selector indicator handle was improperly installed. When the fuel selector indicator handle was placed in the right fuel tank position, the fuel was actually coming from the left fuel tank. There was no record in the airplane’s maintenance logbook that indicated replacement of the fuel selector valve, the fuel selector indicator handle, or the fuel selector placard. It was not determined who performed the maintenance on the fuel selector and had improperly installed the fuel selector indicator handle.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Other/unknown
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 15, 2008
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,748 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 3, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENW Kenosha WI at 7:00 pm
- Destination: BUU Burlington WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,410 ft by 130 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from BUU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN11LA448.