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19980704015779A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Beech D35 · Driggs, ID · July 4, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 4, 1998 · 11:45 local
Place
Driggs, ID
Phase of flight
Forced Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3469B
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA98LA120
Reported as
Beech D35
Reported engine
Continental IO470*
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
217 total50 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days
N3469BRegistration cancelled Jan 19, 2000 · Beech D35S/N D-3695Airframe modelBeech D35

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.

Lost power on approach to airport. Unable U59 landed on dirt road. Tore off a wing on a fence post. Fouled igniters. (.4)the pilot reported that while preparing for landing, he turned on to the base leg and reset the mixture, propeller and throttle controls to full forward. At this time the engine experienced a complete loss of power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine with no success. Due to the low altitude, the pilot felt that he could not make it to the runway and opted to land on a dirt road. During the landing roll, the left wing collided with a fence post. Post-crash inspection of the engine found that the spark plugs for two of the cylinders were 'fouled,' and that the piston heads for these cylinders were black and displayed excessive carbon build-up. The fuel metering unit was bench tested. During the test, it was found that at the high RPM setting, both the fuel pump pressure and the fuel flow pressure were excessively out of limits. It was also noted that contamination that appeared to be 'rubber' or a 'gasket-like' material was found on the fuel control valve, and the manifold valve screens. This substance was also found under and around the seat area on the fuel pump. Large amounts of 'particles' were also found inside the pump return fitting.

As the FAA filed it

LOST POWER ON APPROACH TO AIRPORT. UNABLE U59 LANDED ON DIRT ROAD. TORE OFF A WING ON A FENCE POST. FOULED IGNITERS. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE PREPARING FOR LANDING, HE TURNED ON TO THE BASE LEG AND RESET THE MIXTURE, PROPELLER AND THROTTLE CONTROLS TO FULL FORWARD. AT THIS TIME THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITH NO SUCCESS. DUE TO THE LOW ALTITUDE, THE PILOT FELT THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY AND OPTED TO LAND ON A DIRT ROAD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT WING COLLIDED WITH A FENCE POST. POST-CRASH INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FOUND THAT THE SPARK PLUGS FOR TWO OF THE CYLINDERS WERE 'FOULED,' AND THAT THE PISTON HEADS FOR THESE CYLINDERS WERE BLACK AND DISPLAYED EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD-UP. THE FUEL METERING UNIT WAS BENCH TESTED. DURING THE TEST, IT WAS FOUND THAT AT THE HIGH RPM SETTING, BOTH THE FUEL PUMP PRESSURE AND THE FUEL FLOW PRESSURE WERE EXCESSIVELY OUT OF LIMITS. IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT CONTAMINATION THAT APPEARED TO BE 'RUBBER' OR A 'GASKET-LIKE' MATERIAL WAS FOUND ON THE FUEL CONTROL VALVE, AND THE MANIFOLD VALVE SCREENS. THIS SUBSTANCE WAS ALSO FOUND UNDER AND AROUND THE SEAT AREA ON THE FUEL PUMP. LARGE AMOUNTS OF 'PARTICLES' WERE ALSO FOUND INSIDE THE PUMP RETURN FITTING.

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 SEA98LA120Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDriggs, IDExcessive pressure in the fuel control unit. A foreign material/substance found on the fuel system screens was a factor.Jul 4, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3469B · 1

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

Incident 19961224044459IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Beckwourth, CANarrative: during routine surveillance at the beckworth, CA airport, aircraft N3469B was observed to have damage to the nose gear wheel well doors and the extension mechanism was missing. The pilot in command, Mr. Russell simcoe, was contacted by telephone.…Dec 24, 1996 · Minor damage