Cessna 140 accident near Wilkeson, Washington, August 4, 2011
On August 4, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2199N, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Wilkeson, Washington (Burnett Landing Airport). 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
A partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to water contamination in the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Wilkeson, Washington · Burnett Landing Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2199N · registry record · serial 12435
- 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 he had washed the airplane the day prior to the accident. On the day of the accident he determined during the preflight inspection that the fuel and induction systems were not contaminated with water. The engine run-up was uneventful; however, when the airplane was about halfway down the runway during takeoff, the engine began to sputter. The pilot verified the positions of the fuel selector handle and carburetor heat control and pumped the throttle, which sustained engine power momentarily. The airplane could not sustain flight and the pilot subsequently force-landed it in nearby trees. During the postaccident engine inspection, no operational anomalies were noted. The pilot further reported that on previous occasions after washing the airplane the engine experienced similar instances of momentary power loss. It is likely that, although the pilot conducted an extensive preflight inspection, undetected water contamination in the fuel system resulted in a reduction of power during takeoff.
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
- Fuel contamination during takeoff defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during takeoff
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Not specified other cases naming the fuel system
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition other cases naming the fuel system
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 917 hours in all; 189 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,793 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2011; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors, Inc. O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WN15 Wilkeson WA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: WN15 Wilkeson WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,500 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from KPLU, 10 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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 21, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1. Accident Site (Provided by Avtech Services) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2199N on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 140 1,839 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,678 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental Motors, Inc. O-200A 297 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Burnett Landing Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,664 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR11LA369.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.