# Accident 19980402005309A: Beech F33A, Fort Pierce, FL, April 2, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 2, 1998, 14:00 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: St Lucie County International
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4256° N, 80.3404° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Fort Pierce, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4256&lon=-80.3404&mi=10
- Aircraft: DECTB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BEECH F33A
- Reported engine: CONT IO520BA
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,100 total, 23 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980402005309A

## Narrative

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

LOST POWER ON CLIMBOUT. LANDED IN TREES. CUASE POWER LOST TO BE INVESTIGATED.(.4) ON APRIL 2, 1998, ABOUT 1400 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH F33A, D-ECTB (GERMAN), REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT, IMPACTED WITH TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING NEAR FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS DISROYED.  THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED.  THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING FROM THE FORT PIERCE AIRPORT AT THE TIME.  THE FLIGHT HAD DEPARTED RUNWAY 14, AND HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200 FEET, WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.  THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO TREES.  AFTER IMPACT, THE PILOT CLOSED OFF THE FUEL VALVE.  EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS HAD FUEL.  THE PILOT SAID THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK WHEN THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED.OBSERVATION OF THE ENGINE AT THE CRASH SITE DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBVIOUS DISCREPANCIES.  THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRFRAME AND SHIPPED TO CONTINENTAL MOTOR'S FACILITIES, MOBILE, ALABAMA, AND EXAMINED AT THE NTSB'S REQUES T, AND UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FAA, ON JUNE 24, 1998. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM EXHIBITED FLUID LEAKAGE AT THE FUEL PUMP AND THROTTLE SHAFT.  DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL PUMP SHOWED THAT THE PUMP LEAKED FLUID AT THE REAR HIGH SPEED ADJUSTING NEEDLE AT THE SEAL TO THE PUMP BODY.  THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF IMPACT DAMAGE OBSERVED ON THE FUEL PUMP.  IN ADDITION, THE THROTTLE/METERING UNIT LEAKED FLUID AT THE THROTTLE SHAFT INTO THE METERING UNIT.  THE LEAK AT THE THROTTLE SHAFT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT NO FLOW TEST WAS POSSIBLE.  THE THROTTLE ARM DISPLAYED IMPACT DAMAGE.  THE THROTTLE SHAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE UNIT, AND THE "O" RING SEAL WAS FOUND FLAT FROM WEAT.  THE RING WAS REPLACED AND THE LEAKAGE STOPPED.  THE UNIT WAS THEN FLOW TESTED TO MANUFACTUER'S STANDARDS.  NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION (SEE TCM ANALYTICAL REPORT PAGE 3).  AT THE AIRPLANE OWNER'S REQUEST, THE ENGINE WAS SHIPPED TO FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA, ON JULY 23, 1998, DIRECTLY FROM TCM, MOBILE, ALABAMA.                                                                      (-23) ENGINE LOST POWER ON TAKE OFF AND THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD APPROXI MATELY 1 MILE SOUTHEAST OF FORT PIERCE, ST LUCIE COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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