19970621015239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech 77 · Cottage Grove, OR · June 21, 1997

Date: June 21, 1997 · 18:05 local
Place: Cottage Grove, OR
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6630C
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA97FA148
Reported as: Beech 77
Reported engine: Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,132 total68 in this make and model23 in the last 90 days

N6630CRegistration cancelled Apr 6, 1999 · Beech 77S/N WA-24 Airframe modelBeech 77

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)While on a flight from chico, California, to eugene, Oregon, the airplane crashed about 29 miles south of its destination. Witnesses stated they saw the aircraft turning toward a mown hay field, with its engine cutting out, when it abruptly dropped and impacted the ground from about 100 feet above ground level. Examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed that the aircraft's right wing fuel tank was empty and its left wing tank contained only a trace quantity of fuel. A total of approximately one to two teaspoons of fuel was extracted from the remainder of the aircraft's fuel system. Both wing tanks were breached; however, there was no fuel odor or discoloration of vegetation at the accident site. Examination of the aircraft did not reveal any evidence of mechanical malfunction. The pilot overflew at least five suitable airports with fuel facilities on his route of flight.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)WHILE ON A FLIGHT FROM CHICO, CALIFORNIA, TO EUGENE, OREGON, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED ABOUT 29 MILES SOUTH OF ITS DESTINATION. WITNESSES STATED THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT TURNING TOWARD A MOWN HAY FIELD, WITH ITS ENGINE CUTTING OUT, WHEN IT ABRUPTLY DROPPED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND FROM ABOUT 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND ITS LEFT WING TANK CONTAINED ONLY A TRACE QUANTITY OF FUEL. A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY ONE TO TWO TEASPOONS OF FUEL WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SYSTEM. BOTH WING TANKS WERE BREACHED; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO FUEL ODOR OR DISCOLORATION OF VEGETATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT OVERFLEW AT LEAST FIVE SUITABLE AIRPORTS WITH FUEL FACILITIES ON HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97FA148Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportCottage Grove, ORFuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a forced landing approach, resulting in a stall. A related factor was the pilot's failure to refuel.Jun 21, 1997 · Substantial damage