Amateur-built OSPREY II accident near Aurora, Oregon, March 16, 1991
On March 16, 1991 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built OSPREY II, registered N69CK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Oregon (Aurora State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION BECAUSE OF AN INADEQUATE COMPONENT AND INADEQUATE FUEL SYSTEM DESIGN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1991 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Oregon · Aurora State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built OSPREY II
- Registration
- N69CK · registry record · serial 1169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE AMATEUR-BUILT OSPREY II AMPHIBIAN COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED A POWER LOSS. THE ELECTRIC AUTOMOTIVE-TYPE BOOST PUMP WAS KNOWN TO SUSTAIN A PRESSURE DROP FROM 6 PSI TO .5 PSI AFTER THREE MINUTES OF OPERATION. THAT PUMP WAS USED TO PUMP FUEL FROM THE FUSELAGE TANKS TO THE PEDESTAL-MOUNTED ENGINE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 158 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 61 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,104 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N69CK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.