# Accident 19970403004339A: Beech D35, Bartlesville, OK, April 3, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 3, 1997, 17:33 local time
- Place: Bartlesville, OK
- Airport: Frank Phillips Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.7379° N, 95.9485° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bartlesville, OK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7379&lon=-95.9485&mi=10
- Aircraft: N940MD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N940MD-2013-07-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech D35 (registry code 1151510, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH D35
- Reported engine: CONT E1851
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,400 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA149) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970403004339A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER IN PATTERN. CRASH LANDED OFF AIRPORT. FUEL SELECTED EMPTY TANK. INDICATOR ON OTHER TANK WITH FUEL.                                        (-23) ENROUTE FROM TULSA, PILOT SWITCHED FROM LH TO RH FUEL TANK AND DID NOT SWITCH THE GAUGE TO THE RIGHT TANK. ENGINE QUIT SINCE RH TANK WAS EMPTY. AIRCRAFT LANDED IN FIELD SHORT OF BARTLESVILLE AIRPORT AND PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 FTW97LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA149), Apr 3, 1997: Beech D35 (N940MD), Bartlesville, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's selection of an empty fuel tank, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft.

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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