Amateur-built NIEUPORT 11# accident near Bellingham, Washington, August 7, 2015
On August 7, 2015 at about 3:00 am local time, a 2002 amateur-built NIEUPORT 11#, registered N917AB, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2015 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NIEUPORT 11# NO SERIES, built 2002
- Registration
- N917AB · registry record · serial 010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that the accident flight was the first flight following replacement of the experimental engine. During takeoff/initial climb, the engine began to lose power, so he attempted to land on the runway opposite the departure runway, likely due to a large body of water straight ahead. During the 180° turn, the pilot realized that the airplane would not reach the runway, so he decided to land on one of the airport's closed runways. The airplane landed short of that runway and nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 346 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 2015; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vw- Hummel Type 1- 2180 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLI Bellingham WA
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:19 am from KBLI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.