# Accident 19980705047059A: Beech H35, Marshall, TX, July 5, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 1998, 21:25 local time
- Place: Marshall, TX
- Airport: Harrison County Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.5303° N, 94.3507° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5303&lon=-94.3507&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5554D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5554D-2013-04-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech H35 (registry code 1151520, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-h35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH H35
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA300) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980705047059A

## Narrative

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

(.4) THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY, AND DURING THE DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A TREE BRANCH. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST UPRIGHT, THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL VALVE SELECTOR TO THE 'OFF' POSITION, AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT THE POSITION OF THE FUEL VALVE SELECTOR AT THE TIME THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE SITE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH WAS IN 'OFF' POSITION AND THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR SWITCH WAS IN THE 'RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK' POSITION. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK AND BOTH AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WERE FULL OF FUEL. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK CONTAINED MINIMAL FUEL. ADDITIONALLY, THE FUEL LINE LEADING TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS REMOVED AND OBSERVED TO BE DRY. FUEL WAS MANUALLY PUMPED THROUGH THE FUEL LINE, THE SYSTEM APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND NO LEAKS WERE FOUND. OUT OF A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 800 HOURS, THE PILOT HAD 13 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #FTW98LA300

## 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 FTW98LA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA300), Jul 6, 1998: Beech H35 (N5554D), Marshall, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the improper position of the fuel selector. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in this make and model of airplane.

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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