Amateur-built DHC-2 Mk. I accident near Kirkland, Washington, December 22, 2000
On December 22, 2000 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2 Mk. I, registered N2502, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kirkland, Washington. It was a ferry 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
A malfunction of the aircraft's fuel selector valve and subsequent fuel starvation. Factors included a short emergency landing area, a wet landing surface, and a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2000 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kirkland, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2 Mk. I
- Registration
- N2502 · registry record · serial 522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight at 1,800 feet, operating on the approximately 1/3 full center tank (note: the front tank was full and the rear tank was nearly empty), the aircraft's engine shut down. The pilot switched to the front tank and after about 10 to 15 seconds, the engine restarted. The engine ran smoothly for 15 to 20 seconds, then shut down again, with the fuel pressure reading zero. The pilot attempted to use the hand-operated wobble pump to restore fuel pressure, but was not successful. The pilot then performed a forced landing on what appeared to him to be the only suitable landing area, a high school football/baseball field. The pilot stated that he skidded across the wet field and hit a 10- to 12-foot-high chain link fence straight on at about 30 to 35 MPH. An FAA inspector reported that in a post-accident examination, anomalies with the fuel selector valve's operation were noted, namely, that "The selector valve was found to be able to aspirate to an empty tank in two different ways." The first condition was that "Using the wobble pump to create a suction in the supply-side line, slight inward pressure on the center of the valve would unseat the valve and the prime would be instantly lost. It would be impossible to recover unless the valve was allowed to resume its' [sic] original position." Second, the inspector reported that "With this particular valve it was possible to create enough suction in the selected off position, or in between position, to unseat the valve and cause aspiration to occur." The inspector stated that the condition was repeatable (to a lesser degree) with a newly overhauled valve.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,217 hours in all; 11,000 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 25, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,166 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 4, 2000; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,090 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: RNT Renton WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.