# Accident 19971228039429A: Beech 35BEECH, Springdale, AR, December 28, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 28, 1997, 13:00 local time
- Place: Springdale, AR
- Airport: Springdale Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1794° N, 94.1396° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1794&lon=-94.1396&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2815V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2815V-2018-01-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 35 (registry code 1151502, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 35BEECH
- Reported engine: CONT E1851
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 270 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA078) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971228039429A

## Narrative

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

ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED IFR WEATHER AND RAN OUT OF FUEL. STRUCK A TREE. SPRINGDALE, AR. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED SILOAM SPRINGS ENROUTE TO MALVERN, AR, FOR PAX PICKUP, THEN RETURN. HE STATED HE PLANNED A 30 MIN FUEL RESERVE. UPON RETURNING TO SILOAM SPRINGS, HE SAID HE LANDED AT MALVERN FOLLOWING A DELAY OF CONFIRMING THAT HE WAS AT THE RIGHT AIRPORT. HE DEPARTED MALVERN AROUND 10:50AM AND FLEW NORTH ANTICIPATING SNOW, WHICH HE DID ENCOUNTER NORTH OF THE ARKANSAS RIVER. HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND ULTIMATELY EXHAUSTED HIS FUEL SUPPLY, RESULTING IN AN EMERGENCY CRASH LANDING WITH DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND PROP. THE RIGHT WING HAD SPAR DAMAGE. NONE OF THE THREE ON BOARD WERE INJURED.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              (.4)THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED SNOW AND INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AFTER DEPARTURE FROM MALVERN, ARKANSAS. HE BECAME LOST AND ELECTED TO FLY TOWARD THE SPRINGDALE AIRPORT, SPRINGDALE, ARKANSAS, USING THE RAZORBACK VORTAC.  WHILE DIVERTING TO SPRINGDALE, THE PILOT INFORMED HIS PASSENGERS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO 'RUN OUT OF GAS.' APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES NORTH OF THE SPRINGDALE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER.  A FORCED LANDING WAS INITIATED, AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A TREE.  THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO DEPARTING MALVERN WAS UNDETERMINED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF USABLE FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS.  REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN A COMPLETED PILOT/OPERATOR REPORT, NTSB FORM 6120.1/2, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

## 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 FTW98LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA078), Dec 28, 1997: Beech 35 (N2815V), Springdale, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel and his inadequate pre-flight planning. Factors were the pilot's disorientation due to instrument meteorological conditions. Another 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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