# Accident 19990218013969A: Beech K35, Gulfport, MS, February 18, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 18, 1999, 12:45 local time
- Place: Gulfport, MS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.4701° N, 89.1500° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4701&lon=-89.1500&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15FF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15FF-2001-04-09) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech K35 (registry code 1151524, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-k35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH K35
- Reported engine: CONT IO470C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,492 total, 2,745 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990218013969A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON FEBRUARY 18, 1999, ABOUT 1245 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BEECHCRAFT K-35, N15FF, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, DITCHED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO IN THE VICINITY OF GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUNK AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED HOMESTEAD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, FLORIDA AT ABOUT 0922 EASTERN STANDARD TIME. ACCORDING TO INITIAL REPORTS FROM GULFPORT TOWER PERSONNEL, THE FLIGHT WAS ON A DOWNWIND LEG IN IFR CONDITIONS IN PREPARATION FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, WHEN THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE HAD AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR ILS APPROACH OUT OVER WATER THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. HE SWITCHED TANKS BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE. PILOT MADE SUCCESSFUL DITCHING AT SEA, WITH MINOR INJURIES.  INVESTIGATION INDICATED FUEL IN LEFT TANK OF APPROX. 12.5 TO 13 GALLONS.  IT APPEARS PILOT MAY HAVE MISMANAGED FUEL AND RAN OUT OF FUEL IN RIGHT TANK.  FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN RIGHT POSITION ON INSPECTION.  IT APPEARS ACFT HAD ADQUATE FUEL IN SYS TEM TO SUSTAIN ENGINE OPERATION. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS INDICATING HALF FULL ON HIS LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK, BEING VECTORED IN IMC CONDITIONS BY FAA GULFPORT (MISSISSIPPI) APPROACH CONTROL RADAR FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING, WHEN HE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD A LEAST 12 TO 15 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING. HE COULD NOT REGAIN ENGINE POWER AND DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED 6 DAYS LATER FROM THE 6 TO 8 FEET DEPTH WATER, ABOUT 12.5 TO 13 GALLONS OF UNCONTAMINATED BLUE COLORED 100LL AVIATION FUEL REMAINED IN THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM BY FAA INSPECTORS REVEALED A CLOGGED LEFT WING FUEL VENT SYSTEM.

## 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 MIA99LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA088), Feb 18, 1999: Beech K35 (N15FF), Gulfport, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation caused by an obstruction in the fuel vent system while maneuvering in IMC conditions, and the subsequent ditching into the Gulf of Mexico.

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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