What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Crashed in a fied short of approach end of runway. (.4)the pilot reported that during his preflight he inspected the fuel cap and visually checked that there was fuel in the left tank. The pilot stated, 'upon pushing on the wing, I determined that I could both hear and see fuel in the tank. It was low, but not wanting to add more fuel until we tested the fuel cap, I elected to leave it as was.' The pilot reported that during engine run up he, 'placed the [fuel selector] lever on the right tank for takeoff, knowing the left tank has the least amount of fuel on board.' The pilot reported that at approximately 800 feet he, 'felt a hesitation and then the engine totally failed.' The pilot stated that he then began to initiate a forced landing into a nearby corn field. Post crash investigation of the airplane showed that there were 31 gallons of fuel in the right tank and zero gallons of fuel in the left tank. It was also confirmed that there was no indication of a post crash fuel leak or spill. Further investigation of the fuel injection system showed that the spider valve was void of fuel. Bench testing of the engine confirmed that the engine would start- up and run if supplied with fuel. It was also found that the Beech V35B was placrded that there should be 13 gallons of fuel in both tanks before flight is attempted. (-23) post-accident investigation revealed the absence of fuel in the left tank, fuel line, and there was no spillage on the ground. There was approximately 31 gallons in the right tank. On 08/26/97 and engine test run was conducted. The engine started on the first attempt, was operated at various RPM, and was shut down and re-started several times. It appeared that the engine would function normally when supplied with fuel.
As the FAA filed it
CRASHED IN A FIED SHORT OF APPROACH END OF RUNWAY. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING HIS PREFLIGHT HE INSPECTED THE FUEL CAP AND VISUALLY CHECKED THAT THERE WAS FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. THE PILOT STATED, 'UPON PUSHING ON THE WING, I DETERMINED THAT I COULD BOTH HEAR AND SEE FUEL IN THE TANK. IT WAS LOW, BUT NOT WANTING TO ADD MORE FUEL UNTIL WE TESTED THE FUEL CAP, I ELECTED TO LEAVE IT AS WAS.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING ENGINE RUN UP HE, 'PLACED THE [FUEL SELECTOR] LEVER ON THE RIGHT TANK FOR TAKEOFF, KNOWING THE LEFT TANK HAS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET HE, 'FELT A HESITATION AND THEN THE ENGINE TOTALLY FAILED.' THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THEN BEGAN TO INITIATE A FORCED LANDING INTO A NEARBY CORN FIELD. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRPLANE SHOWED THAT THERE WERE 31 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK AND ZERO GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK. IT WAS ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A POST CRASH FUEL LEAK OR SPILL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM SHOWED THAT THE SPIDER VALVE WAS VOID OF FUEL. BENCH TESTING OF THE ENGINE CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD START- UP AND RUN IF SUPPLIED WITH FUEL. IT WAS ALSO FOUND THAT THE BEECH V35B WAS PLACRDED THAT THERE SHOULD BE 13 GALLONS OF FUEL IN BOTH TANKS BEFORE FLIGHT IS ATTEMPTED. (-23) POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ABSENCE OF FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, FUEL LINE, AND THERE WAS NO SPILLAGE ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT TANK. ON 08/26/97 AND ENGINE TEST RUN WAS CONDUCTED. THE ENGINE STARTED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT, WAS OPERATED AT VARIOUS RPM, AND WAS SHUT DOWN AND RE-STARTED SEVERAL TIMES. IT APPEARED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD FUNCTION NORMALLY WHEN SUPPLIED WITH FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.