# Accident 19970304002079A: Beech E35, Nashville, GA, March 4, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 4, 1997, 13:00 local time
- Place: Nashville, GA
- Airport: Berrien Co Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.2007° N, 83.2403° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.2007&lon=-83.2403&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3257C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3257C-2003-07-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech E35 (registry code 1151512, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E225 series (registry code 17015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e225-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH E35
- Reported engine: CONT E2258
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 170 total, 13 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA093) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970304002079A

## Narrative

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

EN ROUTE UNABLE BUDGE FUEL SELECTOR. LOW FUEL. QUIT OF FINEAL. HIT TREE SHORT OF RUNWAY. SELECTOR JAMMED BY RUST. (-23) UNABLE TO MOVE FUEL SELECTOR FROM LEFT MAIN TO RIGHT MAIN DURING CRUISE FLIGHT.  CREW ELECTED TO LAND AT NEAREST AIRPORT, BERRIEN COUNTY, 4J2. EXECUTED STANDARD LEFT-TURNS VISUAL LANDING PATTERN; IN WINGS-LEVEL ATTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH ENGINE STOPPED.  AIRCRAFT LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE, AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A SWAMP ABOUT 400 YARDS FROM RUNWAY 27 AT BERRIEN COUNTY.

## 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 MIA97LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA093), Mar 4, 1997: Beech E35 (N3257C), Nashville, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a stuck (jammed) fuel selector valve, due to corrosion from a fuel drain spring, which resulted in fuel starvation, loss of engine power, a forced landing, and subsequent impact with trees. A factor…

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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