Convair BT-13A accident near Lyme, New Hampshire, August 3, 2005
On August 3, 2005 at about 6:03 pm local time, a Convair BT-13A, registered N49646, was destroyed in an accident near Lyme, New Hampshire (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in an incorrect fuel selector position, fuel starvation, and subsequent loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2005 · about 6:03 pm local time
- Place
- Lyme, New Hampshire · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Convair BT-13A · all BT-13As on the register
- Registration
- N49646 · no longer on the register · serial 6685
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff the airplane became airborne half way down the runway, "leveled off" and accelerated in a northerly direction, then began to climb. After leveling off once more at approximately 300 feet above ground level, the airplane suddenly appeared to roll to the right, and descend in a nose down attitude into a cornfield fatally injuring the pilot and his passenger. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. A post-crash fire had consumed the majority of the fuselage and no preimpact mechanical failures with the engine or airplane were evident, however; no evidence of the engine producing power at impact was present. The surviving portions of the fuel system were devoid of fuel or fuel residue. During the investigation it was revealed that, the right main fuel tank unlike the left, was designed with a standpipe, which was plumbed to the outlet connection to provide a reserve fuel supply. Under normal conditions fuel would cease to be drawn from the tank when the fuel level became even with the top of the standpipe. The reserve fuel supply would always remain in the lower portion of the right tank until the pilot selected the "reserve line" which would draw fuel from a sump in the lowest part of the right tank. Printed guidance stated, that "when tanks are full take off on the right main tank," otherwise "take off on the fullest tank." A placard was installed on the airplane that read: "CAUTION: Unless Right Tank is full, use Reserve or Left Tank for Takeoff and Landing." Examination of the fuel selector revealed that the handle's pointer corresponded to a position in the R.H. MAIN quadrant area of the fuel selector placard, and a horizontal gouge was evident on the left side of the placard, that corresponded to selection of the fuel source as the right main tank.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,584 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3,916 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,205.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 2.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Lyme NH at 6:02 pm
- Destination: CT24 Canaan CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,870 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from LEB, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 IAD05LA114.