What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Ran a tank dry. No restart on other containing fuel. Crashed. (23) Mr. Stiles (PIC) departed moncks corner, SC alone at 0700 EST on November 9, 1996, in his Beech 35-V35B, N6026T, for a VFR flight to tyler, TX. He had a planned fuel stop in tuscaloosa, AL. At approximately 0830 CST, the (Continental) engine on his aircraft shut down for no apparent reason. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, the PIC made an emergency landing near county road 61 (north) in shelby, AL. Specific location was in a cotton field across from 1125 highway 61. The accident was witnessed by the resident of that address. The PIC reported the engine failed while cruising at approximately 4500 feet asl. Icing was not a factor with this engine design and the PIC stated he serviced the aircraft to capacity with fuel on November 7, 1996, at myrtle beach, SC. He then flew approximately thirty minutes to moncks corner, SC on November 8, 1996. He did not service fuel prior to the November 9, 1996, flight, but stated he checked the fuel for water prior to departure. He also stated he planned fr 15-16 gallons per hour fuel consumption for his flights on November 9, 1996. I foun d the aircraft fuel selector switch with the left tank selected, and the flap and landing gear handles down. The left fuel tank appeared empty when I checked it at the accident scene; however, I checked it again at shelby county airport (11/13/96) and found it with a substantial amount of fuel. Also on 11/1396, we found the right fuel tank empty and no residual fuel was evident when we removed several fuel lines at the engine and/or firewall. The mechanic stated there was no evident of residual fuel (coming from the fuel line) when he removed the left wing, but there was residual fuel when he removed the right wing. The PIC stated to me he had selected the right fuel tank moments prior to the engine shut down. He then switched back to the left tank but could not restart the engine.
As the FAA filed it
RAN A TANK DRY. NO RESTART ON OTHER CONTAINING FUEL. CRASHED. (23) MR. STILES (PIC) DEPARTED MONCKS CORNER, SC ALONE AT 0700 EST ON NOVEMBER 9, 1996, IN HIS BEECH 35-V35B, N6026T, FOR A VFR FLIGHT TO TYLER, TX. HE HAD A PLANNED FUEL STOP IN TUSCALOOSA, AL. AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 CST, THE (CONTINENTAL) ENGINE ON HIS AIRCRAFT SHUT DOWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE PIC MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING NEAR COUNTY ROAD 61 (NORTH) IN SHELBY, AL. SPECIFIC LOCATION WAS IN A COTTON FIELD ACROSS FROM 1125 HIGHWAY 61. THE ACCIDENT WAS WITNESSED BY THE RESIDENT OF THAT ADDRESS. THE PIC REPORTED THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE CRUISING AT APPROXIMATELY 4500 FEET ASL. ICING WAS NOT A FACTOR WITH THIS ENGINE DESIGN AND THE PIC STATED HE SERVICED THE AIRCRAFT TO CAPACITY WITH FUEL ON NOVEMBER 7, 1996, AT MYRTLE BEACH, SC. HE THEN FLEW APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES TO MONCKS CORNER, SC ON NOVEMBER 8, 1996. HE DID NOT SERVICE FUEL PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER 9, 1996, FLIGHT, BUT STATED HE CHECKED THE FUEL FOR WATER PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HE ALSO STATED HE PLANNED FR 15-16 GALLONS PER HOUR FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR HIS FLIGHTS ON NOVEMBER 9, 1996. I FOUN D THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH WITH THE LEFT TANK SELECTED, AND THE FLAP AND LANDING GEAR HANDLES DOWN. THE LEFT FUEL TANK APPEARED EMPTY WHEN I CHECKED IT AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE; HOWEVER, I CHECKED IT AGAIN AT SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT (11/13/96) AND FOUND IT WITH A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF FUEL. ALSO ON 11/1396, WE FOUND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK EMPTY AND NO RESIDUAL FUEL WAS EVIDENT WHEN WE REMOVED SEVERAL FUEL LINES AT THE ENGINE AND/OR FIREWALL. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS NO EVIDENT OF RESIDUAL FUEL (COMING FROM THE FUEL LINE) WHEN HE REMOVED THE LEFT WING, BUT THERE WAS RESIDUAL FUEL WHEN HE REMOVED THE RIGHT WING. THE PIC STATED TO ME HE HAD SELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK MOMENTS PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. HE THEN SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK BUT COULD NOT RESTART THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.