# Accident 19961109035039A: Beech V35B, Columbiana, AL, November 9, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 9, 1996, 08:40 local time
- Place: Columbiana, AL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1705° N, 86.5995° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1705&lon=-86.5995&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6026T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6026T-2003-02-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech V35B (registry code 1151548, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-v35b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH V35B
- Reported engine: CONT IO520BB
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 50 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA022) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961109035039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA022](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA022), Nov 9, 1996: Beech V35B (N6026T), Columbiana, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper use of the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation, and his failure to select a tank with fuel for a restart, which resulted in a failure to restart the engine, a forced…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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