Beechcraft F33A N334DH accident near Fairbanks, Alaska

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power reason that could not be determined because postaccident examination and test run did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

The airline transport pilot was the group leader of 12 airplanes flying on an aerial tour of Alaska. On the day before the accident, the airplane had been fueled by a commercial vendor, and a preflight inspection was completed for the flight the following day. The pilot stated that his preflight inspection and the airplane start, taxi, and before-takeoff checks revealed no anomalies. However, just after takeoff, as the airplane climbed through about 400 feet above ground level, the engine lost all power. The pilot made about a 90-degree right turn to avoid obstacles located off the end of the runway and landed in an adjacent field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

A postaccident examination, including an engine run in a test cell, revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane’s engine or systems.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC12FA079 for the full record.