Flight Design GMBH CTLS accident near Andover, Minnesota, June 21, 2015
On June 21, 2015 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 2014 Flight Design GMBH CTLS, registered N799CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Andover, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management and preflight planning, which resulted in the total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a forced landing in a field where the airplane nosed over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2015 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Andover, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTLS NO SERIES, built 2014 · all CTLSs on the register
- Registration
- N799CT · registry record · serial F-13-04-06
- 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 about 10 miles from his destination airport he exhausted his fuel supply. Subsequently, the engine experienced a total loss of engine power and he made an emergency landing in a soft dirt field. During the landing roll, the amphibious float- equipped airplane nosed over and came to rest on its back after the floats dug into the dirt. The pilot reported that he did not visually check the fuel quantity prior to flight, but believed he had a sufficient quantity. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (descent) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 386 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 386 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 104 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 104 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XVG Longville MN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: ANE Minneapolis MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:04 pm from KANE, 13 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
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.
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.