Flight Design CT2K accident near Hooper, Washington, August 16, 2019
On August 16, 2019 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2003 Flight Design CT2K, registered N433CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Hooper, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of engine power, an off-airport landing to a field, and a subsequent nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2019 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hooper, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design CT2K No Series, built 2003
- Registration
- N433CT · registry record · serial 02.08.04.33
- 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, 1 hour after takeoff, turbulence was getting bad, so he decided to return to the departure airport. Subsequently, the airplane ran out of fuel, and he made an off-airport landing in an open field. Upon landing, the airplane bounced, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during enroute
- Fuel exhaustion during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 16,600 hours in all; 35.5 in this make and model; 29.5 in the last 90 days; 21.2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 6, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 583 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 583 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 16W Starbuck WA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: WA14 Connell WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KALW, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N433CT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 GAA19CA495.