19980418007249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech M35 · Las Vegas, NV · April 18, 1998

Date: April 18, 1998 · 11:00 local
Place: Las Vegas, NV
Airport: North Las Vegas Air Terminal
Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9703R
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98LA136
Reported as: Beech M35
Reported engine: Continental IO470C
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 530 total

N9703RRegistration cancelled Nov 9, 1998 · Beech M35S/N D6210 Airframe modelBeech M35

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.

Pilot was reporting acft was losing power and going down, crashed into the yard of a home, acft was destroyed. (.4)while on approach to the destination airport from a cross-country flight, the tower instructed the pilot to turn left to a downwind for landing. After completing the left turn the engine quit about pattern altitude. The pilot reported that he switched tanks several times in an unsuccessful attempt to get a restart. The fuel selector was found in the auxiliary fuel tank position. Recovery personnel removed about 18 gallons of fuel from the right fuel tanks, 2 gallons from the auxiliary and 16 from the right main tank. The left fuel tanks were ruptured. The estimated flight time from departure to north Las Vegas is 1.5 hours, and according to the engine manufacturer, the estimated fuel consumption at 75 percent power would be 24.375 gallons for that time. (-23) no narrative.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS REPORTING ACFT WAS LOSING POWER AND GOING DOWN, CRASHED INTO THE YARD OF A HOME, ACFT WAS DESTROYED. (.4)WHILE ON APPROACH TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT FROM A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE TOWER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO TURN LEFT TO A DOWNWIND FOR LANDING. AFTER COMPLETING THE LEFT TURN THE ENGINE QUIT ABOUT PATTERN ALTITUDE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE SWITCHED TANKS SEVERAL TIMES IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO GET A RESTART. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK POSITION. RECOVERY PERSONNEL REMOVED ABOUT 18 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANKS, 2 GALLONS FROM THE AUXILIARY AND 16 FROM THE RIGHT MAIN TANK. THE LEFT FUEL TANKS WERE RUPTURED. THE ESTIMATED FLIGHT TIME FROM DEPARTURE TO NORTH LAS VEGAS IS 1.5 HOURS, AND ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER, THE ESTIMATED FUEL CONSUMPTION AT 75 PERCENT POWER WOULD BE 24.375 GALLONS FOR THAT TIME. (-23) NO NARRATIVE.

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 LAX98LA136Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNorth Las Vegas, NVfuel starvation due to the pilot's improper fuel management and his failure to select the fullest tank for landing.Apr 18, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9703R · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19851227069929AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Council Bluffs, IALanded gear up in a field after engine quit. Water found in main fuel screen at tank selector.Dec 27, 1985 · Substantial damage